Thyroid nodule prevalence among women in areas of high natural background radiation, Karunagappally, Kerala, India
ENDOCRINE
Authors: Sreekumar, Ananthakrishnakurup; Jayalekshmi, Padmavathy Amma; Nandakumar, Athira; Nair, Raghu Ram K.; Ahammed, Riyaz; Sebastian, Paul; Koriyama, Chihaya; Akiba, Suminori; Nakamura, Seiichi; Konishi, Junji
Abstract
Purpose Radiation exposure has been reported to cause thyroid nodules. The study area was Karunagapally, which has several areas with high natural radiation levels derived from thorium and its decay products. Since thyroid abnormalities are more common in women, the focus was only on women. Methods The examinations included interview, ultrasonography of the thyroid and serum assays of free thyroxine (FT4), thyrotropin (TSH), and anti-thyroglobulin levels. Cumulative dose during the childhood and lifetime cumulative dose (lagged by 5 years) were estimated. Results We examined 524 female residents aged 17-73 years and found 75 cases of solitary solid thyroid nodules. The prevalence of thyroid nodules were 14.1 % (n = 42) in high dose panchayats and 14.5% (n = 33) in low-dose panchayats. In the logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, the prevalence of solitary thyroid nodule was not linearly related to childhood cumulative dose (P for trend = 0.159) and lifetime cumulative dose (P for trend = 0.333). The prevalence of thyroiditis and hypothyroidism was not related to natural radiation exposure. Serum levels of FT4 or TSH were not related to natural radiation exposure. Conclusions The results obtained from the present study do not support the increase of solitary thyroid nodule, thyroiditis or hypothyroidism in relation to high-natural-background-radiation exposure.
Skeletal Muscle Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma Evaluated by F18-FDG PET/CT
DIAGNOSTICS
Authors: Hitu, Liviu; Cainap, Calin; Apostu, Dragos; Gabora, Katalin; Bonci, Eduard-Alexandru; Badan, Marius; Mester, Alexandru; Piciu, Andra
Abstract
Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid malignancy and is characterized by slow growth and an indolent biological behavior. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma is the PTC with the maximum size of the tumor <1cm, considered the most indolent form of thyroid cancer. PTC is usually metastasizes in cervical lymph nodes, lungs and bones and, less commonly, in brain or liver. Skeletal muscle metastases from PTC are extremely rare, a retrospective review of the literature revealed only 13 case reports. Among them, six cases are solitary skeletal muscle metastases, and seven are multiple metastases, most of them being associated with lung lesions. It seems that PTC is prone to metastasizing to the erector spinae and thigh muscles groups with unique cases located in trapezoid, biceps, deltoid, gastrocnemius and rectus abdominis muscles. Although extremely rare, one must bear in mind the fact that muscle metastasis from PTC is possible, and that is the reason we would like to discuss the existing clinical cases and to add a unique case of solitary skeletal muscle metastasis from papillary microcarcinoma.