title: Schmorl Nodes Can Cause Increased 68Ga DOTATATE Activity on PET/CT, Mimicking Metastasis in Patients With Neuroendocrine Malignancy.
abstract: Schmorl node (SN) is the herniation of the nucleus pulposus through the cartilaginous and bony endplate into the adjacent vertebral body. It is documented that SNs produce areas of moderately increased F-FDG uptake. We present a case of a patient with history of neuroendocrine tumor, who underwent Ga DOTATATE PET/CT for follow-up, showing increased focal vertebral uptake suggestive of bone metastasis. CT revealed typical findings of an SN. The presented case indicates that SNs should be considered when encountering focally increased skeletal uptake in Ga DOTATATE PET/CT studies, which can mimic metastasis in patients with history of neuroendocrine tumors.
authors.affiliation: From the *Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, and †Division of Nuclear Medicine, RAD&IS, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; ‡Center for Research in Computer Vision, Electrical and Computer Science Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL; §Endocrine Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute; and ∥Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program on Developmental Endocrinology & Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Georgios Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Millo
authors.forename: Ulas
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bagci
authors.forename: Samira M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sadowski
authors.forename: Constantine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stratakis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C513399:gallium Ga 68 dotatate