Pertechnetate thyroid uptake is not always suppressed in patients with subacute thyroiditis

The authors studied the clinical courses and immunologic aspects in 15 patients (age range, 32-69 years old; 14 women) with clinical features that were similar to subacute thyroiditis (SAT). In 2 patients (group A) whose thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII) and thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) showed strongly positive activity at the initial visit, Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid uptake (Tc-99m uptake) was elevated (5.6% and 3.8%, respectively, normal; 0.7-3.0%). In 6 (group B) of 13 other patients, Tc-99m uptake was not completely suppressed (2 normal, 4 near normal) and imaging showed uptake in one lobe. In 7 (group C), however, there was no evidence of uptake in either lobe. Inflammatory process was localized in one lobe in all group B patients, and was in both lobes in all group C patients but one. Serum TSH levels were detectable in at least 4 patients (2 group B, 2 group C) low in all. There were no patients in both groups B and C in whom TBII and/or TSAb were detected at the initial visit. In SAT, marked suppression of Tc-99m uptake may be ascribed mainly to inflammatory follicular cell damage, but it is not always suppressed, owing to an association similar to Graves' disease and other unknown mechanism(s).