The comparative value of serum thyroglobulin measurements and iodine 131 total body scans in the follow-up study of patients with treated differentiated thyroid cancer

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Am. J. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(81)90368-5· OSTI ID:5588086

Ashcraft, M W; Van Herle, A J

This study is an attempt to unify the evaluation of patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer after ablative therapy. As such serum thyroglobulin determinations on and off thyroid hormone (T4) therapy and iodine 131 total body scans were examined in 53 patient studies. No metastases were found in patients whose thyroglobulin value was undetectable (less than 1 ng/ml). Values during T4 therapy that were detectable, even as low as 4.2 ng/ml, were occasionally associated with metastases. After T4 withdrawal, thyroglobulin value and scan were obtained. Neither metastasis nor clinically detectable cancer was found in patients whose thyroglobulin value was less than 10 ng/ml while off T4. Conversely, a value greater than 10 ng/ml was often associated with documented metastases even when the scan was negative. In summary, a thyroglobulin value less than 1 ng/ml during T4 therapy or less than 10 ng/ml off T4 therapy suggests successful therapy and a routine scan could be avoided unless clinically indicated. However, a value greater than 10 ng/ml suggests the presence of metastasis despite a negative scan. Thyroglobulin determination substantially improves the management of these patients.

• Research Organization: Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
• OSTI ID: 5588086
• Journal Information: Am. J. Med.; (United States), Vol. 71:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARCINOMAS
DIAGNOSIS
IODINE 131
DIAGNOSTIC USES
METASTASES
BIOCHEMISTRY
CHEMOTHERAPY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
PATIENTS
SCINTISCANNING
THYROGLOBULIN
THYROID
THYROID HORMONES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CHEMISTRY
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GLANDS
GLOBULINS
HORMONES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PROTEINS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
THERAPY
USES
550601* - Medicine- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
550200 - Biochemistry
550901 - Pathology- Tracer Techniques