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Axillary iodine-131 accumulation due to perspiration
E J Camponovo1, P F Goyer, E D Silverman
1Division of Nuclear Medicine, Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|October 1, 1989
Summary
A case study reveals that perspiration can cause spurious axillary uptake of radioactive iodine (I-131). This finding helps differentiate true thyroid cancer metastases from benign causes of false-positive radioiodine localization.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Medicine
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Accurate interpretation of radioactive iodine (I-131) scans is crucial for diagnosing and staging thyroid carcinoma.
- False-positive findings can lead to misdiagnosis, unnecessary treatments, and patient anxiety.
Observation:
- A specific case demonstrated unexpected I-131 uptake in the axilla.
- This spurious uptake was definitively attributed to perspiration, not metastatic disease.
Findings:
- Perspiration is identified as a novel cause of false-positive axillary I-131 uptake.
- Review of literature highlights various pathologic and physiologic causes of false-positive radioiodine localization.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider perspiration when encountering axillary I-131 uptake.
- Differentiating true metastases from artifactual uptake improves diagnostic accuracy in thyroid cancer management.