Nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures, treatment, and follow-up of thyroid carcinoma

In comparison to other tumors, thyroid cancer is relatively rare in Germany, can be well treated, and has a predominantly excellent prognosis. This is achieved by successful surgery and radioiodine therapy. For differentiated thyroid carcinoma, 10-year survival rates are well above 90 %. This overview is designed to give an update on the diagnostic procedures, treatment, and follow-up of thyroid cancer from the perspective of the nuclear medicine physician. Current areas of controversy are also addressed. This review represents an evaluation and update of our own published data, a selective literature search in PubMed, and a partly subjective appraisal of various open issues, without any claim to final validity. Current developments in nuclear medicine primarily concern the amount of radioactivity to be delivered during radioiodine therapy, particularly in low-risk patients. Some international centers even refrain from surgery in the case of "smaller tumors". The diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of thyroid cancer is complex and should be the domain of specialized centers, since poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas in particular are associated with a worse prognosis. These patients should therefore be selected at an early stage.