Clinicopathological characteristics including BRAF V600E mutation status and PET/CT findings in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Objective

We assessed the associations between FDG uptake in primary papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) and clinicopathological features, including the BRAF V600E mutation, using quantitative and qualitative analyses of preoperative PET/CT data.

Design and Patients

This was a retrospective review of 106 patients with PTC who underwent PET/CT scans between February 2009 and January 2011 before undergoing total thyroidectomy. Data collected from surgical specimens were compared with FDG uptake in the primary tumor using quantitative and qualitative analyses of preoperative PET/CT data. Clinicopathological data included the primary tumor size, subtype, capsular invasion, extrathyroid extension, multifocality, BRAF V600E mutation status, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis.

Results

The SUVmax of the primary tumor was significantly higher in patients with a primary tumor >1 cm, extrathyroid extension, or the BRAF V600E mutation than in patients without these features (P<0.001, 0.049, and <0.001). Univariate analyses showed that primary tumor size, extrathyroid extension, and BRAF V600E mutation status were associated with the SUVmax of the PTC. Multivariate analysis indicated that primary tumor size and the BRAF V600E mutation were associated with the SUVmax of the PTC. In a visual assessment, the primary tumor size was larger in FDG-avid than in non-FDG-avid PTCs (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the presence of multifocality, thyroid capsular invasion, extrathyroid extension, BRAF V600E mutation, lymph node metastasis, or distant metastasis between FDG-avid and non-FDG-avid PTCs.

Conclusions

Primary tumor size and the BRAF V600E mutation are significant factors associated with the SUVmax on preoperative PET/CT in patients with PTC.

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