title: Incidental finding of malignancy in patients preoperatively evaluated for aneurysm wall pathology using PET/CT.
abstract: Preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) was performed in 26 consecutive patients considered fit for aneurysm repair. Besides information on aneurysm wall pathology, PET/CT identified 6 patients with concomitant malignancy. As a result of this coincidental finding, the operation was postponed in 2 patients and cancelled in 1. Although previous studies have shown that PET/CT might affect patient selection based on aneurysm wall inflammation, our preliminary results show a big impact on patient management as a result of the sensitivity of PET/CT for detecting malignancy. Future larger studies are warranted to investigate the effect and cost effectiveness of routine PET/CT in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Vascular Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. m.truijers@chir.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Truijers
authors.forename: Jillis A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pol
authors.forename: Harrie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurvers
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bredie
authors.forename: Wim J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Oyen
authors.forename: Jan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Blankensteijn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures