title: Clinical significance of parotid gland incidentalomas on (18)F-FDG PET/CT.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and clinical significance of incidental focal uptake of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the parotid glands of cancer patients. A retrospective review of 7,252 oncologic PET/CT studies was done. FDG positive parotid incidentalomas occurred in 0.4% of PET/CT scans, of which only 4% were malignant. PET/CT was unable to differentiate benign from malignant parotid lesions based on SUVmax alone. (18)F-FDG positive parotid incidentalomas can be managed conservatively, however patients with a prior history of lymphoma had a much higher risk of parotid malignancy and require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Cross Cancer Institute, 11560 University Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada. Electronic address: makisw79@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Makis
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, 687 Pine Ave West, Floor M2, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A1, Canada.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciarallo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, 687 Pine Ave West, Floor M2, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A1, Canada.
authors.forename: Akshat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gotra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: FDG; PET; PET/CT; Parotid incidentaloma; Parotid mass