ObjectiveTo compare the diagnostic efficacy of serum thyroglobulin (Tg), diagnostic 131I whole-body scan (D-WBS), neck ultrasound for diagnosing metastasis and recurrence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). MethodsFrom May to June 2011, fifty follow-up DTC patients were collected retrospectively 6 months or more after 131I ablation therapy following total-thyroidectomy or near-total thyroidectomy. The diagnostic standard for DTC metastasis and relapse were based on serum Tg, D-WBS, neck ultrasound and chest CT. Diagnostic 2 by 2 table was employed for calculating the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of the methods. ResultsThe sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value of TgIMA and D-WBS parallel experiments were 100.0%, 92.9%, 96.0%, 91.7%, and 100.0% respectively. ConclusionTgIMA combined with D-WBS parallel test in diagnosis of DTC metastasis and recurrence has the highest accuracy.