Title:Evidence-Based Data About Prevalence and Risk of Malignancy of Thyroid Incidentalomas Detected by Different PET Radiopharmaceuticals
Volume: 13
Issue: 2
Author(s): Giovanni Signore, Domenico Albano, Luca Giovanella, Francesco Bertagna and Giorgio Treglia*
Affiliation:
- Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Imaging Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona/Lugano,Switzerland
Keywords:
PET, thyroid, incidentaloma, prevalence, malignancy, clinical significance, radiolabelled choline, ultrasonography.
Abstract:
Background: To date, several meta-analyses and systematic reviews have reported data
about the prevalence and risk of malignancy of thyroid incidentalomas detected by different PET radiopharmaceuticals.
Objective: This article aims to summarize the published evidence-based data about the prevalence and
risk of malignancy of thyroid incidentalomas detected by different PET radiopharmaceuticals.
Methods: A comprehensive computer literature search of systematic reviews and meta-analyses published
up to July 2019 in PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane library databases regarding the prevalence
and risk of malignancy of thyroid incidentalomas detected by different PET radiopharmaceuticals was
carried out.
Results: We have summarized the data about prevalence and risk of malignancy of thyroid incidentalomas
detected by different PET radiopharmaceuticals (fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose, radiolabelled
choline and prostate-specific membrane antigen) taking into account 8 evidence-based articles.
Conclusion: Evidence-based data demonstrated that thyroid incidentalomas detected by different PET
radiopharmaceuticals are not infrequent and their risk of malignancy is not negligible, in particular if
focal pattern is evident at PET, thus requiring further clinical and instrumental evaluation.