title: Primary pulmonary amyloidosis misdiagnosed as malignancy on dual-time-point fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography: A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Primary pulmonary amyloidosis is an uncommon manifestation, characterized by amyloid deposition in the lungs and other associated tissue. The clinical presentation of amyloidosis is variable, with non-specific symptoms. The current study reports the case of a 59-year-old female presenting with primary pulmonary amyloidosis, indistinguishable from lung malignancy based on 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG) accumulation on dual-time-point (DTP) FDG-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging and the similarities in morphological changes. A percutaneous CT-guided thoracoscopic biopsy was subsequently performed. Histological examination revealed that the specimens contained amorphous, homogeneous material with a number of polyclonal plasma cells, lymphocytes and giant cells. A diagnosis of primary nodular parenchymal pulmonary amyloidosis was determined, and the patient was discharged without chemotherapy. The patient remained in good clinical condition during follow-up. The present case indicated that localized nodular amyloidosis with increased FDG uptake on DTP FDG PET must be considered in the differential diagnosis of growing lung nodules, and that a histological examination must be conducted to distinguish this condition from malignancies of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Center, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meng-Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Center, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Center, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Center, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guo-Lin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography; lung malignancies; pulmonary amyloidosis