Comparison of Antithyroglobulin Antibody Concentrations Before and After Ablation with 131 I as a Predictor of Structural Disease in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Patients with Undetectable Basal Thyroglobulin and Negative Neck Ultrasonography

Abstract

Background:

Patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma are submitted to a first assessment several months after initial therapy to evaluate their response to treatment. At that assessment, measurement of basal thyroglobulin (Tg) and antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) and neck ultrasonography (US) are recommended. Serum Tg may be falsely negative in the presence of TgAb, and the management of patients with negative Tg but positive TgAb represents a challenge. The objective of this study was to correlate the variation in TgAb concentrations (comparison before and after ablation with ¹³¹I) with the risk of structural disease.

Methods:

The sample consisted of 116 low- or intermediate-risk patients who had undetectable Tg, negative US at initial assessment, and positive TgAb 8–12 months after thyroidectomy and ablation with ¹³¹I.

Results:

Comparison of TgAb concentrations before and after ablation with ¹³¹I showed a reduction of >50% in 56 patients (group A), a reduction of <50% in 35 patients (group B), and an increase in 25 patients (group C). Metastases were detected in 5/116 (4.3%) patients during initial assessment (lymph nodes in two, pulmonary in two, and bone in one). They were diagnosed in 0/56, 2/35 (5.7%), and 3/25 (12%) patients of groups A, B, and C, respectively. During follow-up, metastases were detected in 7/111 (6.3%) patients (lymph nodes in six, and pulmonary in one). They occurred in 1/56 (1.8%), 3/33 (9%), and 3/22 (13.6%) patients of groups A, B, and C, respectively. Thus, structural disease was found in 1.8%, 14.3%, and 24% of groups A, B, and C, respectively. This rate was 4% in low-risk patients and 15.4% in intermediate-risk patients.

Conclusions:

Among patients with undetectable Tg, negative US, and positive TgAb after ablation with ¹³¹I, the frequency of structural disease was <5% in patients, with >50% reduction in TgAb. Among patients without a significant reduction in TgAb, approximately 10% of low-risk patients and >20% of intermediate-risk patients had structural disease. These results help define the indication for imaging methods other than US during initial assessment and long-term follow-up.