RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 False-Positive Findings on 131I Whole-Body Scans Because of Posttraumatic Superficial Scabs JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 207 OP 209 VO 43 IS 2 A1 Concetto Regalbuto A1 Massimo Buscema A1 Salvatore Arena A1 Riccardo Vigneri A1 Sebastiano Squatrito A1 Vincenzo Pezzino YR 2002 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/43/2/207.abstract AB Nonspecific 131I uptake may affect both the specificity and the accuracy of whole-body scanning (WBS) performed after 131I administration in the follow-up of thyroid carcinoma after thyroidectomy. We report a newly identified cause of false-positive WBS findings: posttraumatic superficial scabs. Methods: Four patients who underwent thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma were studied after therapeutic administration of 3,700 MBq 131I. Results: WBS revealed an area of uptake in the lower limbs, in a site corresponding to a slight abrasion of the skin that had incidentally occurred between a few hours before and 24 h after radioiodine administration. In 2 patients, a radioiodine concentration in the scab was shown by the disappearance of the radioactivity in the leg after removal of the scab and by detection of radioactivity in the collected material. Conclusion: Posttraumatic superficial scabs may be a cause of false-positive WBS findings. High 131I doses, although providing increased sensitivity, may also increase the number of false-positive results.