Warthin’s Tumor: A Diagnostic Challenge as a Metastatic Mimicker on Post-I-131 Therapy Scan

We present a rare case with an incidental finding of Warthin's tumour demonstrating I-131 uptake on a post-therapy whole-body scan in a patient treated for thyroid cancer with total thyroidectomy. The unexpected radioiodine concentration in the parotid region raised initial concern for metastatic disease, illustrating how non-thyroidal lesions can mimic pathological findings in post-ablative imaging. This case highlights a well-recognised diagnostic challenge in nuclear medicine: false-positive I-131 uptake. Differentiating benign radioiodine-avid lesions from true metastases is critical to prevent incorrect staging, unnecessary interventions, and inappropriate management decisions in thyroid cancer follow-up.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2026-02-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.103721
Primary Topic
Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Warthin’s Tumor: A Diagnostic Challenge as a Metastatic Mimicker on Post-I-131 Therapy Scan

Zamzam Al Bimani, Fatma M Al Hajri, Zakiya Al-Ajmi, Naima Al Bulushi
Cureus
Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
article

Warthin’s Tumor: A Diagnostic Challenge as a Metastatic Mimicker on Post-I-131 Therapy Scan

Zamzam Al Bimani, Fatma M Al Hajri, Zakiya Al-Ajmi, Naima Al Bulushi
article en

Abstract

We present a rare case with an incidental finding of Warthin's tumour demonstrating I-131 uptake on a post-therapy whole-body scan in a patient treated for thyroid cancer with total thyroidectomy. The unexpected radioiodine concentration in the parotid region raised initial concern for metastatic disease, illustrating how non-thyroidal lesions can mimic pathological findings in post-ablative imaging. This case highlights a well-recognised diagnostic challenge in nuclear medicine: false-positive I-131 uptake. Differentiating benign radioiodine-avid lesions from true metastases is critical to prevent incorrect staging, unnecessary interventions, and inappropriate management decisions in thyroid cancer follow-up.

CureusVol. 18(2)
Royal Hospital (OM)
University of Ottawa
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 55%
Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Warthin’s Tumor: A Diagnostic Challenge as a Metastatic Mimicker on Post-I-131 Therapy Scan — Zamzam Al Bimani, Fatma M Al Hajri, et al. · Cureus (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS