FDG uptake in axillary lymph nodes after vaccination against pandemic (H1N1).
OBJECTIVE
To alert the imaging community to potential false positive findings related to current immunization programmes against H1N1 influenza virus.


METHODS
We reviewed 10 patients referred for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) who had undergone recent vaccination.


RESULTS
All studies showed( 18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the draining axillary lymph nodes close to the vaccination site, while low-dose CT revealed lymph nodes ranged between 0.5 cm and 1.2 cm at the same site.


CONCLUSIONS
This potential pitfall in PET/CT should be borne in mind during current vaccination programmes.
Panagiotidis
Emmanouil
E
PET/CT Unit, Evangelismos General Hospital, 45-47 Ipsilantou Str, Athens, 106 76, Greece. m_panagiotidis@yahoo.com
Exarhos
Demetrios
D
Housianakou
Irene
I
Bournazos
Apostolos
A
Datseris
Ioannis
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18