Clinical assessment of the data of radionuclide studies in the diagnosis of malignant tumors of the thyroid

A total of 386 patients with nodular goiter, compensated adenoma, lymphocytic thyroiditis, relapses of thyroid cancer, and metastases of thyroid cancer to regional lymph nodes were examined in order to assess the informative value of in vivo and in vitro radionuclide studies. In vivo studies were carried out using different systems of visual information processing gamma-chamber with 99mTc - pertechnetate, sodium iodide (131I, 123I) and 201Т1-chloride. Standard radioimmunoassay kits were used for measurements of blood serum levels of thyroxin, triiodothyronine, hypophyseal thyroid hormone, thyroglobulin and antibodies to it, parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin. 201Т1-chloride was found to be the optimal radionuclide for the differential diagnosis of tumors of the thyroid; as for the most informative in vitro test, thyroglobulin measurements should be preferred.