HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH RSS TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by de Certaines, J. Articles by Le Clech, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by de Certaines, J. Articles by Le Clech, G.

Evaluation of Human Thyroid Tumors by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Centre Eugène Marquis, C.H.R. de Pontchaillou, Rennes, France

Correspondence: For reprints contact: Jacques de Certaines, Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Centre Eugène Marquis, C.H.R. de Pontchaillou, 35011 Rennes Cedex, France.

ABSTRACT

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used in a study of 40 patients with thyroid tumors following partial or total thyroidectomy. Three patient groups were considered: those with nodules showing increased uptake, those with solitary nodules with decreased uptake, and those with multinodular goiters. Spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times (T₁ and T₂) were measured on samples of nodular and extranodular tissue from each patient. Increased T₁ and T₂ were observed for benign cold nodules, an increase in T₁ alone for nodules with increased uptake, and a wide fluctuation in T₁ and T₂ for multinodular goiters. The four cancers in the series did not show a distinctive proton NMR pattern in comparison with the other nodular structures studied. The results point to the feasibility of applying NMR techniques to the detection of thyroid disease.