Rare metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma: pictorial review

Endocr Relat Cancer. 2011 Aug 30;18(5):R165-74. doi: 10.1530/ERC-11-0068. Print 2011 Oct.

Abstract

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is usually indolent with good prognosis and long-term survival. However, DTC distant metastasis is often a grave event and accounts for most of its disease-specific mortality. The major sites of distant metastases are the lung and bone. Metastases to the brain, breast, liver, kidney, muscle, and skin are rare or relatively rare. Nevertheless, recognizing rare metastases from DTC has a significant impact on the clinical decision making and prognosis of patients. (131)I single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography ((131)I-SPECT/CT) can provide both metabolic and anatomic information about a lesion; therefore, it can better localize and define the (131)I-WBS findings in DTC patients. In this pictorial review, the imaging features of a range of rare metastases from DTC are demonstrated, with a particular emphasis on the (131)I-SPECT/CT diagnostic aspect.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / secondary*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Iodine Radioisotopes*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / methods
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Iodine Radioisotopes