BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules found incidentally on @entity419 -positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) have been shown to be malignant in 30%-50% of cases. The American Thyroid Association recommends performing fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for thyroid nodules showing FDG uptake. On the other hand, the role of FDG-PET in characterizing thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology before surgery is not clear. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in predicting @entity9384 with indeterminate FNAC and to correlate FDG uptake with pathological and ultrasonographic (US) features. METHODS: Between November 2006 and October 2009, 55 @entity1 (42 @entity1 , mean age: 50 years) planned for surgery for 56 thyroid nodules with indeterminate FNAC were prospectively included and considered for analysis. All @entity1 underwent presurgical FDG-PET/CT (Siemens Biograph, mean FDG injected activity: 165   MBq) and neck US. Pathology of the corresponding surgical specimen was the gold standard for statistical analysis. RESULTS: At pathology 34 nodules were benign, 10 were malignant (7 papillary and 3 follicular carcinomas), and 12 were @entity5 of uncertain malignant potential (TUMP). The median size of the thyroid nodules was 21   mm (range: 10-57). Sensitivity, specificity, positive ( @entity2286 ), and negative predictive (NPV) values of FDG-PET in detecting @entity5 /TUMP were 77%, 62%, 57%, and 81%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, cellular atypia was the only factor predictive of FDG uptake (p<0.001). Hurthle cells and poorly differentiated components were independent predictive factors of high (>= 5) SUV Max (p=0.02 and p=0.02). Sensitivity, specificity, @entity2286 , and NPV of US in detecting @entity5 /TUMP were 82%, 47%, 50%, and 80%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, hypervascularization was correlated with @entity5 /TUMP (p=0.007) and cystic features were correlated with benignity (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Adding FDG-PET findings to neck US provided no diagnostic benefit. The sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET in the presurgical evaluation of indeterminate thyroid nodules are too low to recommend FDG-PET routinely.

Is XXXX -PET/CT useful for the presurgical characterization of thyroid nodules with indeterminate fine needle aspiration cytology?

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'patients'] @entity419 :: ('MESH:D019788', 'Chemical') :: ['(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['cancer', 'malignancy', 'tumors'] @entity2286 :: ('12211', 'Species') :: ['PPV'] @entity9384 :: ('MESH:D016606', 'Disease') :: ['malignancy of thyroid nodules']
@entity419 :: (MESH:D019788,Chemical) :: ['(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose']
