title: Hepatic radiation injury mimicking metastasis in distal esophageal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A new hypermetabolic lesion on18FDG-PET/CT after neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for distal esophageal cancer can be a hepatic metastasis and should be examined carefully before esophagectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case of acute and nodular radiation-induced injury of the left liver after neo-adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for distal esophageal cancer, which resembles a hepatic metastasis on18FDG-PET/CT. Acute and nodular radiation hepatitis (RH) can be a potential cause of false-positive findings of malignancy and therefore exclude patients who could benefit from esophagectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  18FDG-PET/CT images should therefore carefully be interpreted and compared with the radiation beams, dose distribution and eventually clarified by DW-MR imaging.
authors: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Karel
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2902-1281
authors: K
authors: Demey
authors: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Hans
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1153-8298
authors: H
authors: Van Veer
authors: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Nafteux
authors: b Department of Nuclear Medicine , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Christophe M
authors: CM
authors: Deroose
authors: c Department of Radiation Oncology , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Haustermans
authors: d Department of Radiology , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Coolen
authors: d Department of Radiology , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Vandecaveye
authors: a Department of Thoracic Surgery , Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven , Herestraat , Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Willy
authors: W
authors: Coosemans
authors: e Department of Digestive Oncology , University Hospitals Leuven , Belgium.
authors: Eric
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6372-1230
authors: E
authors: Van Cutsem
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: 18F-FDG-PET/CT; Esophageal carcinoma; radiation-induced liver disease