title: False-Positive 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging: Dramatic "Flare Response" After Rituximab Administration.
abstract: We report the case of a 45-year-old woman diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Six months after completion of R-CHOP, she relapsed, and 2 cycles of R-ESHAP were given, with a view to allograft transplant. One month later, F-FDG PET/CT revealed disease progression. Biopsy of lymph nodes showed reactive changes, without evidence of lymphoma. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody, is used for treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but its addition may result in an extensive inflammatory response. It is important to be aware of the potential for false-positive F-FDG PET/CT imaging after rituximab therapy. Unexpected findings should be confirmed by biopsy.
authors.affiliation: From the *Institute of Nuclear Medicine, and †Department of Hematology, University College London Hospitals, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skoura
authors.forename: Kirit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ardeshna
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Halsey
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kayani
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002945:Cisplatin; D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D003561:Cytarabine; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D000069283:Rituximab; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D008775:Methylprednisolone