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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2000; Vol. 108(3): 191-196
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-7743
Articles

© Johann Ambrosius Barth

Glucose metabolism of the thyroid in autonomous goiter measured by F-18-FDG-PET[*]

A. R. Boerner 1 , E. Voth 1 , P. Theissen 1 , K. Wienhard 2 , R. Wagner 2 , H. Schicha 1
  • 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Cologne, Germany
  • 2 Max-Planck-Institute of Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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Summary:

The radiolabeled glucose analogue F-18-Fluoro-Deoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) were used to measure glucose metabolism of the thyroid in vivo. We evaluated patients with autonomous goitre before therapy with radioiodine in comparison to patients with normal thyroids.

30 patients with autonomous goitre underwent scanning the day before radioiodine therapy. 19 patients with head or brain tumours and normal thyroids were the controls. Overall F-18-FDG uptake was determined for all thyroids and proved to be significantly higher in autonomy patients compared to controls and in disseminated autonomous goitre slightly but not significantly higher than in focal autonomy. In autonomy patients F-18-FDG uptake increased with increasing radioiodine uptake and shorter radioiodine half-life.

These results indicate that glucose metabolism is enhanced in the thyroids of patients with focal and disseminated autonomy. The negative correlation of radioiodine half-life and glucose metabolism as well as the positive correlation of radioiodine uptake and glucose metabolism suggest connections of glucose metabolism and iodine-dependent hormone synthesis in thyroid cells.

Abbreviations: F-18-FDG, F-18-Fluoro-Deoxyglucose; PET, Positron Emission Tomography.

Key words:

Thyroid - autonomy - glucose metabolism - positron emission tomography

1 * Dedicated to Prof. Dr. D. Emrich on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

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1 * Dedicated to Prof. Dr. D. Emrich on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

2 p-value: * Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney-test, ** Kruskal-Wallis test, *** Chi-square-analysis; normal ranges: fT3 3.07-7.68 pmol/l, fT4 10.3-30.0 pmol/l, TSH 0.5-3.5 mU/l

Dr. med. Anne R. Boerner

Dept. of Nuclear Medicine

Medical School Hannover

Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1

D-30625 Hannover, Germany

Phone: +49-5 11-5 32-25 77

Fax: +49-5 11-5 32-37 61

Email: Boerner.Anne-Rose@mh-hannover.de

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