Radioiodine uptake following thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer. Recurrence or ectopic tissue?

Post-thyroidectomy I-131 sodium iodide scans revealed foci of uptake outside the thyroid bed in two patients. In each case, these areas corresponded to sites where ectopic or aberrant thyroid tissues could be found. The presence of metastatic disease significantly affects the appropriate therapy, as well as the overall prognosis. An appreciation of the potential locations of ectopic thyroid tissues that may mimic metastatic disease and potentially confound diagnosis are stressed.