Exploring the value of sentinel lymph node PET/CT detection in thyroid carcinoma

Excerpt

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first lymphatic station that drains from the primary tumor, and SLN biopsy is a standard procedure in solid cancers providing diagnostic and prognostic information [1, 2]. Despite SLN biopsy is not commonly used in thyroid cancer, the basis for its use is to detect lymph node occult metastases. The presence of lymph node metastases guides the therapeutic choice, mainly in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that commonly spreads by lymphatic via [3]. Lymph node metastasis is a relatively common occurrence in DTC, and it is associated with an increased risk of recurrence [3, 4]. The presence of lymph node metastasis influences the choice of administration of adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. The DTC prognosis is usually good with over 90% of 10-year survival rate [4, 5]. Accurate staging of lymph node involvement is essential for determining the appropriate surgical approach and selecting patients who may benefit from RAI therapy. Recently prophylactic central neck dissection in clinically node-negative DTC has been extensively debated [6‐8]. …