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A Coregistered Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging Protocol for the Transvaginal Imaging of Ovarian Lesions
Published on: March 3, 2023
SPECT/CT of metastatic struma ovarii
Phillip J Koo1, William C Klingensmith, Brian M Bagrosky
1From the *Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, and †Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|June 26, 2013
Summary
Metastatic struma ovarii, a rare ovarian teratoma, can mimic metastatic thyroid cancer. Hybrid SPECT/CT imaging is crucial for detecting recurrent disease, especially peritoneal nodules.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Struma ovarii is a rare germ cell tumor composed of thyroid tissue, typically benign but can present with malignant features or metastasis.
- Metastatic follicular thyroid cancer can present with abdominal masses, making differential diagnosis challenging.
Observation:
- A 41-year-old woman presented with right lower quadrant masses initially suspected to be metastatic follicular thyroid cancer.
- Thyroidectomy excluded a primary thyroid malignancy, and ovarian evaluation revealed struma ovarii.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic struma ovarii.
- Post-therapy planar and SPECT/CT imaging revealed multiple iodine-avid peritoneal nodules, indicating recurrent disease.
- Hybrid SPECT/CT imaging was essential for precisely locating a nodule near the spleen.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering struma ovarii in the differential diagnosis of abdominal masses, even when thyroid cancer is suspected.
- Hybrid SPECT/CT imaging offers superior diagnostic accuracy for detecting and localizing recurrent struma ovarii, particularly peritoneal metastases.
- Accurate diagnosis and localization are critical for effective treatment planning and management of metastatic struma ovarii.
