PET imaging used in about 20% of differentiated thyroid cancers

About one-fifth of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer underwent PET imaging, and results of PET scans changed management of differentiated thyroid cancer in about 30% of those patients, according to recent study findings published in Thyroid.

“The rising incidence of low-risk thyroid cancer is changing treatment paradigms,” the researchers wrote. “Interestingly, management is being driven by risk assessment, and a ‘one size fits all’ approach to thyroid cancer treatment is no longer recommended. The same should be true for posttreatment surveillance. The choice of imaging modality should be tailored toward the patient’s risk, the clinical suspicion for recurrent or persistent disease, and the serum thyroglobulin.” Read more.