Incidental 99mTc-HDP Uptake in a Dominant Thyroid Nodule on Bone Scan

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Endocrinology
• Pathology

Background:

• Bone scans are typically used to evaluate skeletal abnormalities.
• Elevated alkaline phosphatase can indicate various conditions, including bone or liver issues.

Observation:

• A bone scan for elevated alkaline phosphatase incidentally revealed hypervascularity and delayed tracer uptake in an enlarged right thyroid gland.
• Further investigations included thyroid scintigraphy, CT scan, and ultrasound.

Findings:

• Fine-needle aspiration cytology indicated a benign follicular pattern (Bethesda II).
• Histopathology confirmed a dominant nodule within a nodular goiter.

Implications:

• This case highlights the potential for incidental findings of thyroid abnormalities during bone scintigraphy.
• It underscores the importance of correlating imaging findings with clinical presentation and biochemical data.