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The purpose of this study was to assess the detectability of metastatic lesions by 99Tcm-tetrofosmin in differentiated thyroid cancer, and to compare the results with those obtained using 201Tl-chloride and tracer doses of 131I. Twenty-four thyroidectomized patients with metastases were studied. There were 34 metastases, including 16 lung, nine lymph node and nine bone. Radiological studies (chest X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging), serum thyroglobulin assays and histopathological examinations were performed to verify the presence of metastases with positive uptake of the three radionuclides. Increased accumulation of 99Tcm-tetrofosmin was observed in 11 of 16 (68.8%) lung metastases, eight of nine (88.9%) lymph node metastases and eight of nine (88.9%) bone metastases. Increased accumulation of 201Tl and 131I was observed in 11 of 16 (both) (68.8%) lung metastases, eight (88.9%) and three (33.3%), respectively, of lymph node metastases and eight (88.9%) and nine (100%), respectively, of bone metastases. The detectability of thyroid cancer metastases using 99Tcm-tetrofosmin, 201Tl and 131I was 79.4%, 79.4% and 67.6%, respectively. The combined detectabilities of 99Tcm-tetrofosmin and 131I and of 201Tl and 131I were both 88.2%. 99Tcm-tetrofosmin and 201Tl imaging were found to be more sensitive than 131I for the detection of differentiated thyroid cancer metastases, particularly for regional lymph node. The combination of 99Tcm-tetrofosmin and 131I imaging may be a more sensitive and effective method for detecting metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer.

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