title: F-18 FDG PET positive hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy mimicking metastatic disease in a melanoma patient treated with interferon-alpha-2b.
abstract: A 49-year-old man with a history of recurrent melanoma in the parotid was treated with parotidectomy, external beam radiation, and high-dose interferon-alpha-2b. Combined F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) performed for restaging demonstrated multiple bilateral hilar and mediastinal hypermetabolic foci corresponding to hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Cytologic specimens obtained by bronchoscopy were negative for malignancy, revealing reactive lymph nodes. Subsequent FDG PET/CT showed regression of the findings. Awareness of possible interferon-associated reaction in melanoma patients who undergo FDG PET is important to avoid pitfalls in the interpretation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL 33136, USA. dkalkanis@nuclmed.net
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalkanis
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalkanis
authors.forename: Osama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gomaa
authors.forename: Fabio M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Paes
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Sfakianakis
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18