title: Adrenal Metastasis of a Poorly Differentiated Adenocarcinoma Mimicking a Pheochromocytoma on 18F-FDOPA PET/CT.
abstract: We report the surprising intense uptake of F-FDOPA in a right adrenal metastasis of a poorly differentiated metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary mimicking a pheochromocytoma in a hemodialyzed patient with the typical Menard's triad and increased serum catecholamines. Our observation emphasizes that F-FDOPA is not a specific radiotracer for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma investigation, although it is currently and successfully used in this clinical setting. Moreover, we underline that kidney failure may be responsible for abnormally high serum catecholamines values even in subjects without pheochromocytoma, leading to erroneous diagnostic conclusions particularly in patients with adrenal masses.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of *Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine, †Pathology, ‡Nephrology, §Urologic Surgery, ∥Hematology and Oncology, University Hospitals of Strasbourg, Strasbourg; and ¶ICube, UMR 7357 University of Strasbourg/CNRS and FMTS, Faculty of Medicine, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heimburger
authors.forename: Gerlinde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Averous
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Charlin
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Jean-Emmanuel
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imperiale
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine