PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Bains, Abhinandan
AU  - Botkin, Crystal
AU  - Oliver, Dana
AU  - Nguyen, Nghi
AU  - Osman, Medhat
TI  - Contamination in 18F-FDG PET/CT: An initial experience
DP  - 2009 May 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 2222--2222
VI  - 50
IP  - supplement 2
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/50/supplement_2/2222.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/50/supplement_2/2222.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2009 May 01; 50
AB  - 2222 Objectives The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the frequency, location and type of contamination in patients undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT examination. Methods True Whole-Body (head-to-toe) 18F-FDG films (n=540) were retrospectively reviewed (1/08-10/08) for the presence of increased tracer activity suspicious for urine contamination or FDG extravasation at the injection site. Cases of intense tracer uptake around the pelvic region (urine), antecubital fossal regions and hands (extravasation) were recorded. We also recorded patients’ age, gender and body mass index (BMI) for correlation purposed. Results Of the 540 PET/CT films, contamination was noted in 66 (12%) patients (42 M, 24 F: mean age 60 yrs). Of these 66 patients, extravasation was 91%, urine contamination 8%, and extravasation and urine contamination 1%. Table 1 provides patient characteristics. There was no difference in BMI or age between the two types of contamination. Conclusions Urine contamination and/or FDG extravasation at the injection site was detectable in 12% of patients undergoing PET/CT examination in our PET center. When present, such contamination was independent of age or BMI. Efforts should be made to minimize the occurrence of such problems in order to avoid false positive interpretation of the exam. Further work is planned to assess the impact of contamination on the diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT cases.