title: F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in atherosclerotic plaque in the mediastinum mimicking malignancy: another potential for error.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory process accumulating numerous inflammatory cells such as macrophages and lymphocytes. This cellular infiltrate has a high metabolic demand, which can be reflected on F-18 FDG positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging. The FDG uptake in atherosclerotic vessels is usually distinguishable as a result of its linear and continuous appearance and mild level of activity. However, occasionally, atherosclerotic plaques present themselves as focal "hot spots," which can be easily misinterpreted as malignancy. This report emphasizes atherosclerotic plaques as a potential pitfall while interpreting FDG scans. It also highlights the importance of radiographic correlation to avoid such an error.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10025, USA. muzammilhanif@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Muzammil Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Hanif
authors.forename: Munir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghesani
authors.forename: Arshad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Tokuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kasai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18