title: Pitfalls in imaging the submandibular glands with PET/CT.
abstract: Imaging of the submandibular glands can provide vital information about malignant neoplastic processes. One of these modalities, fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT), has become very important in the detection of malignancies because it provides functional and metabolic information as well as anatomic localization. However, there are several pitfalls associated with FDG-PET/CT in terms of salivary gland imaging. For example, a normal increase in the uptake of radiotracer might be mistaken for a neoplastic process. Other routine findings may include normal physiologic uptake in some structures, benign tumors and medical conditions, and iatrogenic abnormalities. We review a case in which compensatory hypertrophy of a submandibular gland was suspected to be a possible malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, SL-54, 1540 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. drpalacios@aol.com.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neitzschman
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haile
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013365:Submandibular Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18