EVALUATION OF NORMAL HOMOGENOUS THYROID UPTAKE BY USING TC 99M

Thyroid uptake and scintigraphy using 99mTc-pertechnetate has proven to be more advantageous than with 131I-iodide, since the images have better quality, the procedure is faster and the patient is submitted to a lower radiation dose. This study aimed to determine the normal values for 99mTc- pertechnetate uptake, , measure the thyroid volume for patients with homogenous distribution of radiotracer & normal thyroid function test (T.F.T).A total of 100 patients', 85 women and 15 men, with ages ranging from 18to 60 years with homogenous distribution of the radiotracer in the result of uptake and normal thyroid function test (T.F.T), were investigated via thyroid uptake were studied in Radiation and Isotopes of Khartoum- (RICK) by using scintillation gamma camera (Nucline™ SPIRIT DH-V, Variable Angle Dual-Head Digital Gamma Camera for SPECT, equipped with a parallel hole collimator and Tc99m pertechnetate. The laboratory assessment of thyroid function consisted of serum dosages of ultra-sensitive thyroxin and thyrotrophin. 15minutes after an intravenous injection of 4.0 mCi of 99mTc- pertechnetate, the images were obtained. The result of this study showed that All the individuals were euthyroid both on clinical and laboratory evaluation, high incidence of thyroid disorder was among the ages of 22-38 year, thyroid uptake increases with increasing of thyroid size The correlation could be fitted in the following equation: y=0.59x+2.7 where x refers to thyroid volume and y refers to uptake in percent, uptake of thyroid decrease by increasing patient weight in inverse relation and correlation could be fitted in the following equation: y=0.33x+6.07 where x refers to patient weight in Kg and y refers to up take in percent ,the uptake of thyroid gland for patient with normal thyroid function test (T.F.T) and homogeneous distribution of the radiotracer is in the range of 0.4% to 4.5%. The assessment of thyroid structure and function using 99mTc-pertechnetate is a simple, fast and efficient method, which could easily become a part of the routine studies in nuclear medicine laboratories.