RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Retrospective Study of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the Diagnosis of Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Preliminary Data JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 231 OP 238 DO 10.2967/jnumed.108.056010 VO 50 IS 2 A1 Selin Carkaci A1 Homer A. Macapinlac A1 Massimo Cristofanilli A1 Osama Mawlawi A1 Eric Rohren A1 Ana M. Gonzalez Angulo A1 Shaheenah Dawood A1 Erika Resetkova A1 Huong T. Le-Petross A1 Wei-Tse Yang YR 2009 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/50/2/231.abstract AB Our objective was to retrospectively evaluate 18F-FDG PET/CT in the initial staging of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Methods: The institutional review board waived informed consent and approved this study, which was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The cases of 41 women with a mean age of 50 y (range, 25–71 y) and newly diagnosed IBC who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT at diagnosis were retrospectively reviewed. All PET/CT images were analyzed visually and semiquantitatively by 2 physicians. The maximum standardized uptake value in the primary breast, regional nodes (axillary, subpectoral, supraclavicular, internal mammary), and extranodal regions was documented. The accuracy of PET/CT image interpretation was assessed by histopathologic analysis, if available; concurrent or subsequent imaging findings (contrast-enhanced CT, contrast-enhanced MRI, sonography, or PET/CT follow-up); or clinical follow-up. Results: All patients presented with unilateral IBC. PET/CT showed hypermetabolic uptake in the skin in all patients, in the affected breast in 40 (98%), in the ipsilateral axillary nodes in 37 (90%), and in the ipsilateral subpectoral nodes in 18 (44%). Twenty patients (49%) were found to have distant metastases at staging, 7 (17%) of whom were not known to have metastases before undergoing PET/CT. Disease sites included bone, liver, contralateral axilla, lung, chest wall, pelvis, and the subpectoral, supraclavicular, internal mammary, mediastinal, and abdominal nodes. Conclusion: PET/CT should be considered in the initial staging of IBC, as the technique provided valuable information on locoregional and distant disease in this preliminary retrospective study.