Incidental focal uptake in oropharynx due to lingual thyroid on diagnostic 131I whole-body scan after total thyroidectomy.

Abstract

After total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma, a 37-year-old woman underwent a 2-mCi (131)I whole-body scan which demonstrated focal uptake in the anterior neck and in the oropharynx. Preoperative contrast-enhanced neck computed tomography demonstrated a small enhancing nodule typical for ectopic thyroid at the tongue base. She was then treated with 150 mCi (131)I. Small asymptomatic lingual thyroid remnants typically do not affect high-dose (131)I therapy.