Pituitary adenomas can appear as hypermetabolic lesions in (18) F-FDG PET imaging.
OBJECTIVE
The 2-deoxy-2-[(18) F] fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan is commonly used in detection and staging of many malignant neoplasms. However, several benign or non-neoplastic conditions avidly accumulate (18) F-FDG, causing ambiguity in interpretation of results. It is unknown whether pituitary adenomas uptake (18) F-FDG and appear positive in PET imaging. Here, we present 2 cases of benign pituitary adenoma with elevated metabolic activity in (18) F-FDG PET scan.


METHODS
Medical, neurologic, and psychiatric histories; physical examination findings; laboratory work up results; and pathologic and imaging studies were documented.


RESULTS
The (18) F-FDG-PET images revealed foci of marked FDG uptake in pituitary adenomas of 2 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Pituitary micro- and macro-adenomas may present as hypermetabolic foci on (18) F-FDG PET scan.
Ryu
Stephen I
SI
Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5327, USA.
Tafti
Bashir A
BA
Skirboll
Stephen L
SL
D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000368:Aged; D001928:Brain Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18