Predictive value of the preablation serum thyroglobulin level after thyroidectomy is combined with postablation 131I whole body scintigraphy for successful ablation in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma

• Published in: American journal of clinical oncology Vol. 30; no. 1; p. 63
• Main Authors: Lee, Hyo Jin, Rha, So Young, Jo, Young Suk, Kim, Seong Min, Ku, Bon Jeong, Shong, Minho, Kim, Young Kun, Ro, Heung Kyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.2007
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Autoantibodies - blood; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Gamma Cameras; Humans; Iodine Radioisotopes - pharmacokinetics; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Staging; Predictive Value of Tests; Radionuclide Imaging; Retrospective Studies; Thyroglobulin - blood; Thyroglobulin - immunology; Thyroid Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Thyroid Neoplasms - pathology; Thyroid Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Thyroid Neoplasms - surgery; Thyroidectomy
• ISSN: 1537-453X
• DOI: 10.1097/01.coc.0000239138.64949.0a

To investigate the clinical importance of the combined use of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels measured just before ablation (ablation-Tg) and postablation 131I whole body scintigraphy (WBS) patterns for predicting ablation success in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who received total thyroidectomy and 131I ablation therapy. We retrospectively studied the early clinical outcomes for 81 differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients treated with total thyroidectomy and high-dose 131I ablation therapy between June 2001 and July 2004. Ablation success was achieved in 42 (97.7%) of the 43 patients with uptake in the thyroid bed only and ablation-Tg levels less than 10 ng/mL, whereas successful ablation was achieved in 9 (75.0%) of the 12 patients with uptake in the thyroid bed only and ablation-Tg levels equal to or greater than 10 ng/mL (P = 0.029). Among 15 patients with uptake including a lymph node and ablation-Tg levels less than 10 ng/mL, 14 patients (93.3%) showed ablation success, whereas successful ablation was achieved in only 2 (18.2%) of the 11 patients with uptake including a lymph node and ablation-Tg levels equal to or greater than 10 ng/mL (P < 0.001). These data indicate that the combined use of serum Tg levels measured just before ablation and the 131I WBS patterns after ablation may be an early predictor of ablation success in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who received total thyroidectomy and high-dose 131I ablation therapy.