title: F-18-FDG uptake in tuberculosis.
abstract: Two patients are described who showed abnormal fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) uptake that was due to benign disease, specifically tuberculous lymphadenitis and pneumonitis. The first patient had ulceration and oozing of the left nipple that was related to Paget's disease. An F-18 FDG PET, whole-body scan, which was performed for staging, showed no breast uptake. However, there was intense multifocal uptake in mediastinal, supraclavicular, and para-aortic areas that was confirmed radiologically to represent widespread lymphadenopathy. Pathologic examination of a mediastinal lymph node showed active tuberculosis. The second patient showed intense focal F-18 FDG uptake in mediastinal and supraclavicular areas and para-aortic lymphadenopathy due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In addition, there was abnormal F-18 FDG lung uptake that revealed the presence of acid-fast bacilli on bronchial lavage. Intense focal F-18 FDG uptake in widespread lymphadenopathy or in the lung could be caused by infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. This possibility should be considered when whole-body scans of patients with cancer are interpreted, especially in those with a high incidence of infectious disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Siema@kfsh.edu.sa
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bakheet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Powe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ezzat
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rostom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010144:Paget's Disease, Mammary / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18