Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning utilizes the recognized tumor metabolic property of increased glycolysis with the radioactive decay of 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and generation of gamma radiation to provide quantitative tumor imaging. PET scanning has proven useful in the evaluation and staging of malignancies including malignant melanoma.
Case report: As part of the preoperative staging evaluation a PET scan was performed in a 76-year-old white female with a biopsy-proven malignant melanoma on the posterior thorax. Physiologic uptake was delineated, and in addition, an area of increased uptake of FDG in the pelvis anatomically consistent with the uterus was observed. Subsequent endometrial sampling revealed a moderately differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Surgical staging revealed a stage IB, grade 2 lesion.
Conclusion: This is the first case report of an endometrial carcinoma diagnosed incidentally by positron emission tomography in an asymptomatic patient.