Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer and affects 17,000 people a year. As part of the treatment for thyroid cancer, patients receive therapy with radioactive iodine. Prior to this therapy, they undergo whole body scanning with the I-131 isotope to evaluate the extent of their residual disease after surgery. We are evaluating the use of the I-123 isotope for these pre-therapy scans, which has better imaging characteristics and results in a lower radiation dose to the patients. Our data have demonstrated this is a superior agent for scanning. I have established a multidisciplinary Thyroid Nodule Clinic with Endocrinology/medicine, Ultrasound/Radiology, and Cytology/Pathology to evaluate patients with nodular thyroid disease. The proper diagnostic test for euthroid patients with thyroid nodules is fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA). The FNAs are performed with ultrasound guidance and we are analyzing the incremental utility of ultrasound-guided FNA in the care of these patients versus FNA by palpation.

Contact Information

Researcher/Clinician:
Susan J. Mandel
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3400 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104