Abstract
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Objectives: The purpose of this educational exhibit is to highlight clinically significant incidental finding in PET and general nuclear medicine imaging studies for clinicians. The cases illustrate and stress the importance of being aware of patients who require further evaluation owing to the presence of unexpected findings, and the need to provide appropriate clinical follow up.
Methods: A total of 10 nuclear medicine imaging cases from our institution are presented that show critical unanticipatable incidental findings that impacted patient management. These include hydropneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, hydronephrosis, aortic aneurysm rupture, and cholecystitis. In addition, other less emergent findings such as incidental pituitary adenoma and thyroiditis are presented, findings that could not have been anticipated.
Results: Systematic approach in reading general nuclear medicine and PET/CT studies has led to the detection of significant incidental findings improving the care of the patients.
Conclusions: Critical imaging findings that have not been anticipated present a challenge to correctly decipher. The knowledge of radiopharmaceuticals normal biodistribution and physiologic uptake, anatomic location, and clinical history all represent important steps for correct interpretation of findings.