title: 18F-FDG imaging: pitfalls and artifacts.
abstract: 18F-FDG PET is emerging as a useful tool in the staging and restaging of many malignant neoplasms, such as lymphoma, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma. To accurately interpret 18F-FDG findings one must be familiar with the normal physiologic distribution of the tracer, frequently encountered physiologic variants, and benign pathologic causes of 18F-FDG uptake that can be confused with a malignant neoplasm. The objectives of this article are to (a) describe the mechanism of 18F-FDG uptake, (b) list the patient preparation and pertinent patient history before 18F-FDG imaging, (c) describe the whole-body physiologic distribution of 18F-FDG, (d) list and discuss normal physiologic variants, and (e) list and discuss benign pathologic causes of 18F-FDG uptake.
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Department, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214-3007, USA.
authors.forename: Mohei M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Abouzied
authors.forename: Elpida S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Hani Abdel
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Nabi
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18