Capabilities of single-photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography in diagnosis of neck masses

Aim. Assessment of the capabilities of planar scanning combined with X-ray computed tomography in the diagnosis of neck masses. Methods. The study included 9 patients with neck masses examined at Rostov Scientific Research Institute of Oncology. Patients with suspected retrosternal nodal growth and ectopic thyroid gland on clinical and ultrasound examinations received single-photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography. The technique included the following stages: (1) planar scanning; (2) volumetric dynamic emission tomography of relevant areas; (3) X-ray spiral computed tomography; (4) archiving, combining scan parameters; (5) post-processing and reconstruction of images and assessment of the results. Results. Ultrasound study of neck masses in our study did not provide complete evaluation of surrounding anatomical structures due to large size of masses and did not allow identifying the connection between mass lesions and thyroid gland and evaluating relationship between the tumor and trachea, esophagus, great vessels. As a result of our study, with the use of single-photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography, among 9 patients with neck masses 5 (55.5%) patients were diagnosed with retrosternal thyroid lesions, 3 (33.3%) - ectopic thyroid gland and 1 (11.2%) - metastasis of neuroendocrine (small cell) carcinoma. 3 (60%) out of 5 patients with retrosternal thyroid lesions had a nodular goiter with retrosternal component and 2 (40%) patients had thyroid cancer with a nodular goiter. Conclusions. A combination of hybrid technologies of single-photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography for the identification of neck masses is a highly informative method providing single-step determination of the lesion location and assessment of its topographic and anatomical relationship with surrounding anatomical structures which allows optimizing the examination and choosing further management strategy.