Diagnosis of labia metastasis by F-18 FDG PET and CT fusion imaging in sarcoma follow-up

Clin Nucl Med. 2003 Aug;28(8):636-7. doi: 10.1097/01.RLU.0000079453.65768.6a.

Abstract

ABSTRACT A 32-year-old woman with a history of pelvic sarcoma underwent whole-body fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomographic (CT) fusion imaging for restaging after primary surgery and adjuvant combined radiation and chemotherapy. Interpreting the PET images alone showed an area of focal tracer accumulation in the pelvic floor and was interpreted as being secondary to urine contamination. Image fusion with fully coregistered CT scans showed a localized site of increased uptake from a metastasis to the labia, which was confirmed by biopsy. The presented case illustrates the usefulness of combined PET/CT fusion imaging to overcome some pitfalls of PET imaging alone (eg, differentiating malignant tumor from pooling of tracer in the genitourinary tract or contamination).

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials / diagnostic imaging
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Pelvic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Radiography
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Sarcoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Sarcoma / secondary
  • Subtraction Technique*
  • Vulvar Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Vulvar Neoplasms / secondary

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18