title: Flip-flop phenomenon in systemic sclerosis on fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography.
abstract: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease, which may affect multiple organ systems. Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can demonstrate the degree and anatomical extent of involvement in the entire body and coexisting malignancies in connective tissue diseases. We present a case of SSc with an increased 18F-FDG uptake in the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues even higher than the neighboring skeletal muscles ("flip-flop phenomenon," that is, an increased 18F-FDG uptake in the skin but a decreased 18F-FDG uptake in the skeletal muscles).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kevser
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oksuzoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulsen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sabahat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inanir
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rafi Haner
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Direskeneli
keywords: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose; positron emission tomography/computed tomography; systemic sclerosis