J Korean Med Sci.  2005 Jun;20(3):521-523. 10.3346/jkms.2005.20.3.521.

Normal Gallbladder Visualization during Post-Ablative Iodine-131 Scan of Thyroid Cancer

• Seok JW
• Kim SJ
• Kim IJ
• Kim YS
• Kim YK

• KMID: 1778520
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2005.20.3.521

Abstract

Whole body iodine-131 scan is a well-established imaging method for the detection of metastatic or residual tumor sites in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Many false-positive iodine-131 scan findings mimicking metastatic thyroid cancer have long been reported. The authors describe a false positive uptake in normal gallbladder on post-ablative iodine-131 scan in a patient with papillary thyroid cancer. This finding should be considered to be another possible false-positive finding on iodine-131 whole body scan.

Keyword

Thyroid Neoplasms; Radionuclide Imaging; Gallbladder

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Papillary/*pathology
False Positive Reactions
Female
Gallbladder/*metabolism/ultrasonography
Humans
Iodine Radioisotopes/diagnostic use/pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Thyroid Neoplasms/*pathology
Whole-Body Counting

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Post-ablative I-131 whole body scan at 7 day shows an intense accumulation in gallbladder.

• 

  Fig. 2 Iodine-131 whole body scan at 14 day shows sustained activity in the gallbladder.

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  Fig. 3 Abdominal ultrasound reveals normal liver and gallbladder. There is no abnormal echo in the gallbladder to suggest the presences of gallstone, inflammation, and metastasis.

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