Frequency of hepatic visualization during I-131 imaging for metastatic thyroid carcinoma

Sixty-one total body I-131 scans performed on 29 patients who were post-thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer were retrospectively reviewed to determine the frequency of hepatic visualization. The liver was seen in 52% of the patients. Diffuse liver uptake was present on 5 of 38 (13%) diagnostic (10 mCi) scans and on 12 of 23 (52%) post-therapy (80-150 mCi) scans. None of these patients showed clinical or laboratory evidence of hepatic metastases during a mean follow-up period of 18 months. We conclude that physiological diffuse liver activity is seen frequently on I-131 total-body scans.