To determine the incidence of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avid thyroid incidentalomas detected on positron emission tomography (PET) with integrated computed tomography (CT), and correlate the FDG–PET-CT findings to cytology.
Methods
A total of 942 FDG–PET-CT reports were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas were further reviewed for correlative cytology.
Results
The incidence of FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas is 2.2%. Thyroid malignancies were identified in 3 of 6 patients who underwent cytologic correlation, with a positive predictive value of 50% (95% confidence interval, 14%-86%). The mean maximum standardized uptake values of benign and malignant FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas were 5.6 and 6.6, respectively.
Conclusion
A FDG-avid thyroid incidentaloma may predict underlying malignancy. Cytologic assessment should be considered for FDG-avid thyroid incidentalomas.
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