Nuclear medicine in the diagnosis of benign thyroid diseases

Abstract

Thyroid gland has the unique ability to concentrate iodine. This
phenomenon offers a perfect background for a wide range of
diagnostic tests utilizing radioactive iodine nuclides of iodine
and technetium. Despite the very good availability of ultrasonography
and other imaging modalities, radionuclide methods
are still inevitable in a various cases of thyroid disease. In this
article, a comprehensive review of all these methods used in
the diagnosis of benign thyroid diseases is presented. Iodine
and technetium uptake tests are briefly described. Indications to
thyroid scan in the context of iodine supply are also presented.
Finally, the significance of thyroid findings in PET images is
pointed out. The article is illustrated by some typical patterns
of radionuclide thyroid images.