Increased 131I accumulation in the polyacrylamide hydrophilic gel used for breast augmentation

A 37-year-old woman with papillary thyroid cancer received repeat 131I therapy. The first posttherapy scan revealed only activity in the neck. However, both the second and third posttherapy scans showed intense activity in the anterior lower chest bilaterally, suggestive of breast uptake. However, the SPECT/CT images demonstrated that the iodine activity was not located in the breast tissue. Instead, the activity was inside the polyacrylamide hydrophilic gels she received 10 years ago for breast augmentation.