Long-term follow-up after iodine-131 treatment for Plummer's disease (autonomous goiter)

A follow-up study is presented in 88 patients treated with I-131 for Plummer's disease (localized autonomous thyroid function, either multifocal or as a solitary nodule) one to 17 years before the present study. Studies included clinical examination, scintigraphy, and function tests. One patient was hypothyroid, seven were marginally hyperthyroid, and five still received low dose antithyroid drugs. Of 75 euthyroid patients, the thyrotropin (TSH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was absent in 16 (generally with scintigraphic evidence of autonomous function), subnormal in 20, and normal in 39. A single autonomous nodule prior to treatment was found relatively frequently in males and in patients with a normal TRH test at follow-up. Most goiters had become smaller and one third of all solitary nodules could not be detected anymore. Autonomous function at follow-up was probably due to residual rather than recurrent disease in most, if not all, cases. It is concluded that I-131 therapy is at least as satisfactory as partial thyroidectomy in the treatment of Plummer's disease; lifelong follow-up was not found to be necessary.     

On the natural history of Plummer's disease

Plummer's disease (autonomous goiter) presents a spectrum of forms, raging from solitary autonomous thyroid nodules to numerous small autonomous areas, and from unequivocal to servere hyperthyroidism. Progression is often very slow, but data on long-term follow up are scare, contradictory and limited to solitary nodules. We re-examined 58 untreated patients on one or more occasions. Follow-up time ranged from 1 to 12 years (average 4 years). There were gross clinical or scintigraphic changes in 13 patients. Three included six euthyroidal patients who became (mildly) hyperthyroid, one with a change from single to numerous "hot spots," and one in which the radionuclide disappeared in one of two separate autonomous areas. Minor changes were seen in 14 patients. Changes occurred irrespective of the scintigraphic pattern. In contrast, progression was very rapid in two of 300 other patients with the disease, leading to fatal thyrotoxic crisis withing three months in one. In another patient, transient hyperthyroidism was documented after excessive iodine administration. It is concluded that patients may be left untreated as long as serious complaints and clinical suspicion of associated malignancy are absent.     

Radioiodine treatment of solitary functioning thyroid nodules

Forty-eight patients with hyperthyroidism due to a single toxic nodule have been treated with radioiodine (131I). The mean follow-up period is 37 months. All patients were rendered euthyroid and no cases of hyperthyroidism have been observed. Forty patients required only one dose of 131I to render them euthyroid, six patients required more than one dose and two patients initially rendered euthyroid relapsed during follow-up and required further 131I treatment. It is concluded that a single fixed dose of 131I is a simple, effective treatment for a solitary toxic thyroid nodule and does not cause hypothyroidism.     

A prospective study of thyroid ultrasound scan in the clinically solitary thyroid nodule

Thyroid ultrasound differentiates solid from cystic lesions, solitary nodules from multinodular and diffuse enlargement, and extrathyroidal lesions. Two hundred consecutive patients with a clinically solitary thyroid nodule were investigated by ultrasound examination, thyroid function test, and thyroid auto-antibodies. Patients with confirmed solitary solid, or mixed solid and cystic nodules underwent surgery as well as those with cysts, multinodular or diffuse goitres with pressure symptoms, recurrent haemorrhage or relapsing hyperthyroidism. Comparison between the ultrasound and ultimate pathological findings in the 101 patients who underwent surgery showed that they were in agreement in 96 cases. The remaining 99 patients with cystic, multinodular or diffuse lesions have been followed up for a mean of two years. Nearly 50% of patients with a clinically solitary thyroid nodule have avoided surgery.     

Central nervous system changes after radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy: correlation of CT and autopsy findings

This is a restrospective correlative study of cranial computed tomography (CT) and autopsy findings in 50 patients after central nervous system radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Most patients had more than one posttherapy CT scan and all cases were autopsied. Twenty-six cases (52%) showed no posttherapy CT changes. In 18 cases (36%) enlargement of intracranial subarachnoid spaces and/or ventricles was seen on CT, but only two of these cases showed gross atrophy on postmortem examination; even in these, the cortex was histologically normal, suggesting that these CT changes may be reversible. In six cases a decrease in white-matter density was seen on CT. Two of these cases were histologically normal, two cases showed some white-matter rarefaction, one case contained multiple foci of white-matter and vessel well necrosis, and one case had progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.     

The development of a solitary toxic thyroid nodule following Graves' disease

A 52-year-old woman developed a toxic, solitary, autonomously functioning thyroid nodule four years after antithyroid drug treatment for Graves' disease. When she was initially seen, a thyroid scan showed the homogeneous enlargement of both lobes with increased uptake. Graves' disease was diagnosed and the patient was treated with methimazole. Thyroid function was well-controlled with medication for 18 months, after which the patient stopped taking the drug for three years. Four years after Graves' disease was diagnosed, the patient again showed symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The etiology was a toxic, autonomously functioning nodule.     

Nonimmunogenic hyperthyroidism: cumulative hypothyroidism incidence after radioiodine and surgical treatment

During 1977, 246 hyperthyroid patients were seen in our departments, 140 (57%) with nonimmunogenic hyperthyroidism (NIH)--101 with a toxic adenoma (TA) and 39 with multifocal functional autonomy (MFA). All patients but one could be followed over 9 yr, 101 after 131I treatment (RIT), another 29 after surgery (S). Ten patients were left untreated. Thirty-four treated (24%) patients died, none as a result of thyroid or post-treatment complications. There was no hyperthyroidism later than 9 mo after therapy. Only 1% (RIT) and 24% (S) were hypothyroid 1 yr after treatment. But 19% of all treated NIH patients were hypothyroid after 9 yr or at the time of their death, 12% after RIT and 41% after S. The cumulative hypothyroidism incidences 1.4%/yr for RIT and 2.2%/yr for S, were not significantly different. Out of the five survivers without RIT or S, two TA patients were hypothyroid. The effect of RIT on goiter related loco-regional complications was not worse than after S. We conclude that RIT is the treatment for NIH, leaving surgery for exceptional cases.     

Detection of thyroid carcinoma in wall of a cystic lesion by FDG PET

PURPOSE: Three cases are described, in which positron emission tomography (PET) led to the diagnosis of carcinoma in solitary thyroid nodules (STN), which were considered benign by clinical assessment, ultrasonography, and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: These 3 cases were from a group of 51 patients with solitary thyroid nodules that were nonfunctioning or "cold" on pertechnetate scans that were later studied with FDG PET scanning. RESULTS: Of the entire group, 28 patients showed the nodule to be nonfunctioning on FDG scans. Of these, 3 showed one or more small foci of intense FDG uptake in the periphery. On histopathology, these sites were found to harbor carcinoma, papillary carcinoma in 2 patients and a follicular variant of papillary carcinoma in one. CONCLUSIONS: These cases demonstrate the usefulness of FDG PET in detection of cancer that may lurk in the wall of a cystic thyroid nodule, often misinterpreted as benign by conventional methods.     

甲状腺功能亢进症伴精神障碍52例临床分析

目的提高对甲状腺功能亢进症（甲亢）合并精神障碍患者的诊治认识。方法回顾性分析52例甲亢并精神障碍患者的临床特点、诊断及治疗情况。结果 28例单独治疗甲亢,有效26例,无效2例;14例治疗甲亢及加用抗精神障碍药物,有效12例,无效2例;单用抗精神药物治疗10例,有效0例,无效10例。3种治疗措施比较P〈0.01,具有极显著性意义。结论甲亢合并精神障碍以女性多见,以精神障碍为首发症状者不能忽略查甲状腺功能。治疗原发病是关键措施。     

Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for autonomously functioning thyroid nodule

Four patients with solitary autonomously functioning thyroid nodule (AFTN; 2 toxic and 2 subclinically toxic) received ultrasonography (US)—guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT). The pretreatment scintigraphic appearance of the nodule was hot, and radioactivity in the extranodular tissue was completely suppressed throughout. Ninety-nine percent ethanol was slowly injected under US guidance. As a rule, the injection was performed in fractionated sessions and the treatment was repeated until the total amount of ethanol exceeded the baseline nodular volume. The therapy was successful. Complete remission of hyperthyroidism was observed among the patients with toxic nodule. The basal level of TSH and its response to TRH injection was normalized in the patients with subclinically toxic nodule. Posttreatment scintigrams revealed that the extranodular tissue recovered and radioactivity in the hot nodule had noticeably decreased. The rate of reduction in the nodular volume was more than 80% in all. There was no recurrence or development of hypothyroidism during a follow up of 10 to 23 months. The main side effect was mild and transient pain and/or a burning sensation at injection. No severe or permanent complications occurred. Although the number of our cases was small, the results suggest that PEIT is a useful program in treating AFTN.     

孤立结节周围型肺癌的多层螺旋CT诊断

目的：探讨多层螺旋CT对孤立结节周围型肺癌的诊断价值。方法回顾分析我院2009年2月至2014年4月46例经手术、穿刺活检病理证实,直径≤3 cm的肺内孤立结节周围型肺癌的多层螺旋CT征象进行分析和总结。结果46例肺内孤立结节周围型肺癌中,腺癌25例,鳞癌11例,小细胞癌9例,未分型癌1例。多层螺旋CT征象：分叶征36例（78％）;毛刺征28例（61％）,短毛刺21例,长毛刺7例;棘状突起13例（28．3％）;空泡征9例（20％）;胸膜凹陷征16例（35％）;血管集束征12例（26％）。增强扫描11例,增强幅度42-65 Hu。结论多层螺旋CT三维重组,可以发现更多有诊断价值的CT征象,对孤立结节周围型肺癌的诊断与鉴别诊断具有较高的临床价值。     

The role of thyroid scanning in hyperthyroidism

Radionuclide thyroid imaging was performed in 872 consecutive patients with hyperthyroidism. Of these, 84% were found to have diffuse toxic hyperplasia (Graves' disease), while 12% had autonomously functioning nodules (Plummer's disease), 3% had Graves' disease developing in a multinodular gland, and in the remaining 1%, either a clear diagnosis could not be established or the hyperthyroidism was due to thyroiditis or the Jod-Basedow phenomenon. It was found that a thyroid scan seldom provides additional diagnostic information in patients with Graves' disease when a diffuse goitre is present. However, if patients are to be treated with radioiodine (131I), thyroid imaging with tracer quantitation can replace a 24-h 131I uptake measurement, this having the advantages that the patients are required to attend only once, and that the gland size can be measured. In addition, visual confirmation of tracer uptake by the thyroid is obtained and patients with thyroiditis will not receive inappropriate therapy. When single or multiple thyroid nodules are palpated, a thyroid scan is crucial in establishing an accurate diagnosis, as it is not otherwise possible to differentiate between Plummer's disease and Graves' disease developing in a multinodular gland. Indeed, in 20 of our 63 patients (32%) with single autonomously functioning nodules, the initial clinical assessment had been incorrect.     

Benign solitary solid cold thyroid nodules: US-guided interstitial laser photocoagulation--initial experience

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of ultrasonography (US)-guided interstitial laser photocoagulation (ILP) on the volume of benign solitary solid cold thyroid nodules and any nodule-related symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ILP was performed in 16 patients with normal thyroid function and a solid benign thyroid nodule. None of the patients had uptake on a radionuclide scan. Patients underwent one ILP session. A needle was positioned in the thyroid nodule with US guidance, and the laser fiber was placed in the lumen of the needle. Patients were treated for 287-1,200 seconds with an output power of 1-3 W. ILP was performed with continuous US guidance and terminated when the echogenic changes were stationary. Thyroid nodule volume and thyroid function were evaluated before and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. During the same period, 15 untreated patients (control group) were followed up to evaluate the size of the untreated thyroid nodule. RESULTS: In the 16 patients treated with ILP, the mean thyroid nodule volume decreased from 10 to 5.4 mL (P <.001) after 6 months. The median energy given was 761 J. There was no relationship between the dose of thermal energy given and nodule reduction. Pressure symptoms were significantly reduced (P =.0002) after 6 months. The treatment was well-tolerated in all patients. No significant change in thyroid nodule volume was seen in the control group. CONCLUSION: US-guided ILP could become a useful nonsurgical alternative in the treatment of the benign solitary solid cold thyroid nodule in patients who cannot or will not undergo surgery.     

Pulmonary involvement of malignant melanoma: thin-section CT findings with pathologic correlation

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to characterize the thin-section computed tomography (CT) findings of primary and secondary pulmonary malignant melanoma and to correlate them with the histopathologic features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were identified from a pathologic registration system database through a query for patients with diagnosed primary or secondary pulmonary melanoma who had undergone surgical resection. A total of 19 pulmonary malignant melanomas, including one primary and 18 secondary involvements, from 10 patients were enrolled into this study. The patients consisted of 3 men and 6 women, with a mean age of 55 years (range, 28 to 71 years). Thin-section CT findings evaluated by consensus between two radiologists were compared with the histopathologic specimens. RESULTS: Tumor size ranged from 4 to 62 mm (mean, 19 mm) on thin-section CT images. Four characteristic patterns including solitary or multiple solid nodule, endobronchial lesion, cavitary nodule, and nodule with ground-glass attenuation were disclosed by correlation between thin-section CT and pathologic findings. The most common thin-section CT finding was a solid nodule with a well-defined, smooth margin (n=14). Endobronchial lesions were seen in one primary and one secondary involvement (n=2). Less common CT findings were cavitary nodule (n=1) and nodule with ground-glass attenuation (n=1). CONCLUSION: Primary and secondary pulmonary malignant melanomas show various patterns of involvement on thin-section CT.     

CT of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Thirty patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were examined by computed tomography. In addition to systemic disease, these patients had a variety of neurologic symptoms and signs. Cerebral toxoplasmosis (six cases) was generally manifested by ring-enhancing lesions with surrounding decreased attenuation. Lymphoma (one case) exhibited a solid enhancing nodule, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (two cases) showed periventricular decreased attenuation. Atrophy (15 cases) was very common and invariably indicated a poor prognosis; the autopsy examinations of the latter cases showed degeneration of gray and white matter with features similar to cytomegalic inclusion encephalitis and subacute sclerosing encephalopathy of measles.     

The value of negative needle biopsy in suspected operable lung cancer

The value of needle biopsy (NB) of pulmonary masses in patients unsuitable for surgery is well established. The presence of malignant cells confirms the diagnosis and thus aids management. We have reviewed 196 patients aged over 40 years with a solitary pulmonary mass suspected of being operable lung cancer to assess the effect of a negative NB result on the management. Malignant cells were discovered in 148 patients and diagnoses of infection were made in a further 10. In 38 patients no malignant cells were identified. Nineteen patients proceeded to thoracotomy and 13 of these had malignant disease. Nine others had further needle biopsies and eight of these had malignancy. Ten patients were followed up without any further intervention and four of these eventually proved to have malignancy. Thus of the 38 patients with no malignant cells on NB but no definite benign diagnosis, 25 had malignancy, six had benign disease and seven had presumed benign disease. In this series NB provided a definite benign diagnosis in 5.1% of patients. From this study it may be concluded that if a solitary pulmonary nodule has a high clinical suspicion of malignancy and the patient is a candidate for surgery, NB is of limited value in management.     

Thyroid carcinoma mimicking a toxic adenoma

A young woman with a thyroid papillary carcinoma behaving as an autonomously hyperfunctioning nodule is described. Only 17 similar patients have been seen in the past 25 years. It is emphasized that hyperthyroidism does not exclude malignant disease in hot nodules. This possibility suggests that all thyroid nodules, either cold or hot, require careful management. Therefore, in "at risk" cases, surgery could be the most useful treatment.     

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous injection of ethanol in Plummer's adenoma. Our experience with 8 patients

The authors report their experience in the study of 8 patients showing symptoms of thyroid hyperfunction (Plummer's adenoma) and treated with US-guided percutaneous ethanol injection. The treatment consisted in injecting sterile ethanol in varying amounts (2 to 5 ml) according to nodule size, using a fine needle under US guidance. The patients underwent 3 to 6 injections, according to biochemical (T3-T4-TSH) and scintigraphic findings. Follow-up at 12 months showed regression of clinical symptoms, a trend of hormone levels toward normalization and recovery of previously suppressed parenchymal function. No significant complications were observed, except for a transient thyrotoxic crisis in the patient bearing the largest nodule. The treatment of Plummer's adenoma by means of percutaneous ethanol injection under US guidance appears to provide specific clinical and technical advantages over other conventional treatments.     

周围型肺腺癌的X线表现与误诊原因分析

回顾性分析了１６３例原发性周围型肺腺癌的Ｘ线表现与误诊原因，其典型表现为肺内孤立性肿块或结节（１３９例，８５．２７％），直径小于４ｃｍ，边缘有小分叶和短细毛刺。弥漫小结节型和肺炎浸润样型虽所占比例不多，但误诊率较高。     

Graves' disease. Initial presentation with exophthalmos and solitary hot nodule

A 52-year-old man presented with left exophthalmos. A thyroid scan showed a right lobe hot nodule with suppression of the remainder of the gland. Thyroid function tests were normal. In less than two years, the patient had worsening of the exophthalmos. Thyroid indices then revealed hyperthyroidism and the thyroid image had markedly altered (with evidence of diffuse function). This change, initially showing a hot nodule and then diffuse thyroid overactivity, has been reported previously in three cases (all women). Characteristics of the disorder in these four individuals were reviewed. It is possible that the patients had two distinct diseases, separated temporally.