The prevalence and significance of nonuniform thyroid radio-isotope uptake in patients with Graves’ disease

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of nonuniform technetium (99mTc) uptake among patients with Graves’ disease (GD). Design, Patients and Measurements: Patients with GD, referred between July 2005 and March 2018, had Tc99- uptake scans and TSH-receptor antibody (TRAb) measured before antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy. Risk of relapse after ATD cessation was monitored until June 2021 and compared between GD patients based on uptake patterns. Results: Of the 276 GD patients (mean age, 49.8 years; 84% female), 25 (9.0%) had nonuniform Tc99 uptake. At diagnosis, individuals with nonuniform uptake were older (mean age of 61.8 vs. 48.5 years, p