<SUP>18</SUP>F-FDG PET-CT에서 진단된 갑상선 우연종의 악성종양 발견율 및 특징

Characteristics and Detection Rate of Thyroidal Incidentaloma using <SUP>18</SUP>F-FDG PET-CT

<B>Purpose: </B>PET-CT is often used to differentiate benign or malignant thyroid incidentalomas. In this retrospective study, we evaluated whether the <SUP>18</SUP>F-FDG uptake pattern and PET-CT findings improved accuracy over the standardized uptake value (SUV). <B>Methods:</B> <SUP>18</SUP>F-FDG PET-CT was performed on 2,178 subjects from August, 2004, to October, 2007, in Sung-ae Hospital. PET-CT was performed on 806 patients (37%) with suspected or known nonthyroidal cancer and 1,372 healthy subjects (63%) without a previous history of cancer. We investigated the clinical characteristics of patients, history, standardized uptake value (SUV), ultrasonography, and hormone levels in blood. Thyroidal cancer was confirmed by ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration and pathology after thyroid operation. <B>Results:</B> The prevalence of focal thyroid lesions on PET-CT was 8.8% (191/2178). Thyroid cancer confirmation was 7.9% (15/191). The maximum SUV of malignant thyroid lesions were significantly higher than that of benign lesions (7.00&#177;3.08 vs. 4.49&#177;1.84, P＜0.001). <B>Conclusion:</B> PET-CT image interpretation that includes 18F-FDG uptake and SUV is better than PET-CT alone for differentiating benign and malignant lesions. Thyroid cancer risk increases as SUVmax levels increase. <B>(Ko</B><B></B><B>rean J Endocrine Surg 2008;8:38-42)</B>