Thyroid Research Thyroid Research Archive Thyroid Cancer

Somatostatin scans can detect recurrent or metastatic tumor in patients with thyroid carcinoma

(July 2004)

The background of the study. Patients with thyroid carcinoma are often evaluated by whole-body radioiodine scans. However, in some patients these scans are negative. Some thyroid carcinomas contain receptors for somatostatin (a small brain hormone) and therefore may be visualized by scans done after the administration of radiolabeled analogs of somatostatin.

How the study was done. The somatostatin analog octreotide, labeled with radioactive indium, was administered to 43 patients with thyroid carcinoma who had high serum thyroglobulin concentrations (evidence of recurrent cancer) and negative radioiodine scans. They had been treated by total thyroidectomy and radioiodine 1 to 23 years earlier. In addition to the octreotide scans, chest x-rays and ultrasonography of the neck were done in all patients, and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scans of the neck, chest, or abdomen were done in most patients.

The results of the study. Thirty-three patients (77 percent) had a local recurrence or one or more distant metastases of their carcinoma, as detected by one or more of the imaging tests and confirmed by pathologic examination. The octreotide scan was positive in 22 patients (51 percent), and it was the only positive scan in 3 patients (7 percent). Thirty patients (70 percent) had positive chest x-ray, neck ultrasonographic, and CT or MR scans. The carcinoma was in the neck in 15 patients, mediastinum in 18, lungs in 17, bone in 5, and abdomen in 4.

The conclusions of the study. Octreotide scans reveal recurrent or metastatic thyroid carcinoma in some patients who have high serum thyroglobulin concentrations and negative whole-body radioiodine scan.

The original article. Giammarile F, Houzard C, Bournaud C, Hafdi Z, Sassolas G, Borson-Chazot F. Diagnostic management of suspected metastatic thyroid carcinoma: clinical value of octreotide scintigraphy in patients with negative high-dose radioiodine scans. Eur J Endocrinol 2004;150:277-83.