title: Intense 18F-FDG Uptake in Chronic Subcutaneous Opioid Injection Sites.
abstract: Subcutaneous F-FDG uptake is a common finding on PET scans, with causes including both benign and malignant conditions. Often, the pattern of uptake or the clinical indication for the PET scan will suggest the etiology. However, unusual or unexpected patterns may require careful clinical history. We report the case of a 45-year-old woman who underwent a PET/CT study for paraneoplastic syndrome evaluation and was found to have intense, extensive, bilaterally symmetric, nodular subcutaneous FDG uptake in the lower back and buttocks that was related to long-term repeated subcutaneous opioid injections.
authors.affiliation: From the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Roberto Andres
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Salas Fragomeni
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008875:Middle Aged; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18