Role of Nuclear Medicine in Diagnosing Different Patterns of Thyroid Abnormalities in Patients Referred for Thyroid Scintigraphy to Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR) Quetta, Pakistan

Thyroid Scintigraphy Patterns at CENAR Quetta

Abstract

Background: Nuclear Medicine has been playing a vital role in identifying different patterns of thyroid diseases for functional assessment using thyroid scintigraphy. Objective: This study aimed to diagnose different patterns of thyroid abnormalities using thyroid scintigraphy in our area for their proper management. Study Design: Retrospective study. Settings: study was conducted at the Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR) Quetta, Pakistan. Duration: April 2023 and September 2023. Methods: The study population comprised 440 patients, with a mean age of 37± 13 years, who were referred to the CENAR Nuclear Medicine department for thyroid scintigraphy between April 2023 and September 2023. Of these, 357 (81.1%) were female and 83 (18.9%) were male. Results: According to study findings, the highest proportion, i.e., 59.1% (80.4% females and 19.6% males) of total patients, were reported between 21-40 years of age. Out of 440 patients, thyroid scintigraphy findings were normal in 4.5 % (20 patients) and abnormal in 95.5% (420 patients). The scan patterns included, functioning nodule 42 (9.6%), multinodular goiter 34 (7.7%), diffuse goiter 9 (2%), diffuse goiter with increased uptake (Grave’s disease) 145 (33%), multinodular goiter with dominant cold nodule 29 (6.6%), thyroiditis 25 (5.7%), cold nodule 83 (18.9%), extrathyroidal swelling 3 (0.7%), hot nodule 8 (1.8%), recurrent MNG 1 (0.2%), thyroid cancer post-surgical scans 41 (9.3%) and normal 20 (4.5%). Conclusion: This study concluded that radionuclide thyroid scintigraphy is complementary and offers data that can aid in the proper management of a range of thyroid-related disorders.