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Title: 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

Abstract

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.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
OSTI Identifier:
5588086
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Am. J. Med.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 71:5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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

Citation Formats

Ashcraft, M W, and Van Herle, A J. 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. United States: N. p., 1981. Web. doi:10.1016/0002-9343(81)90368-5.
Ashcraft, M W, & Van Herle, A J. 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. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(81)90368-5
Ashcraft, M W, and Van Herle, A J. 1981. "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". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(81)90368-5.
@article{osti_5588086,
title = {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},
author = {Ashcraft, M W and Van Herle, A J},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1016/0002-9343(81)90368-5},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5588086}, journal = {Am. J. Med.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 71:5,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}