PET/CT Variants and Pitfalls in Breast Cancers.
Semin Nucl Med
; 51(5): 474-484, 2021 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1254012
ABSTRACT
There are a number of normal variants and pitfalls which are important to consider when evaluating F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in breast cancer patients. Although FDG-PET is not indicated for the initial diagnosis of breast cancer, focally increased glucose metabolism within breast tissue represents a high likelihood for a neoplastic process and requires further evaluation. Focally increased glucose metabolism is not unique to breast cancer. Other malignancies such as lymphoma, metastases from solid tumors as well as inflammatory changes also may demonstrate increased glucose metabolism either within the breast or at other sites throughout the body. Importantly, benign breast disease may also exhibit increased glucose metabolism, limiting the specificity of FDG-PET. Breast cancer has a wide range of metabolic activity attributed to tumor heterogeneity and breast cancer subtype. Intracellular signaling pathways regulating tumor glucose utilization contribute to these pitfalls of PET/CT in breast cancer. The evaluation of axillary lymph nodes by FDG-PET is less accurate than sentinel lymph node procedure, however is very accurate in identifying level II and III axillary lymph node metastases or retropectoral metastases. It is important to note that non-malignant inflammation in lymph nodes are often detected by modern PET/CT technology. Therefore, particular consideration should be given to recent vaccinations, particularly to COVID-19, which can commonly result in increased metabolic activity of axillary nodes. Whole body FDG-PET for staging of breast cancer requires specific attention to physiologic variants of FDG distribution and a careful comparison with co-registered anatomical imaging. The most important pitfalls are related to inflammatory changes including sarcoidosis, sarcoid like reactions, and other granulomatous diseases as well as secondary neoplastic processes.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Breast Neoplasms
/
Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Semin Nucl Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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