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131I scan plays a crucial role in the management of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer for the evaluation of remnant thyroid tissue, residual/recurrent metastatic disease, posttherapy tracer distribution, and response assessment to high-dose 131I therapy. Different causes secondary to physiological, pathological, and anatomical variations have been described for false-positive findings in the whole-body planar images. This case report of a patient of differentiated thyroid cancer with undocumented trauma to the left knee region a day before receiving the high-dose radioiodine therapy showed an interesting image finding of tracer uptake at unusual site in the posttherapy whole-body 131I scan.

Background The F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) has become an established diagnostic imaging for malignancy. However, there are other diseases that can also be identified with FDG, some of them are infections such as tuberculosis. Case presentation In this case report, two patients showed multiple hypermetabolic tuberculosis lesions on FDG PET/CT, with one of the patients having history of malignancy. The objective of the present case report is to emphasize the need to use other differential diagnosis techniques for tuberculosis especially in tuberculosis-endemic countries when interpreting FDG PET/CT. Conclusion By analyzing diagnostic imaging alone, there is a high chance of misinterpreting asymptomatic tuberculosis patient as having malignancy. Therefore, there is need for correlation with clinical data as well as other imaging modalities and PET/CT with more specific tracer in order to differentiate malignancy from benign disease such as tuberculosis.

A 73-year-old man with history of prostatic adenocarcinoma radical prostatectomy underwent 99mTc-MDP whole-body bone scan and subsequent 68Ga-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligand PET/CT for restaging due to a gradual rise of prostate-specific antigen levels. Whole-body bone scan showed two focal zones of slightly increased uptake in the right fronto-parietal and temporal bones. 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan showed local recurrence in the prostatic bed and two foci of slightly increased uptake in the right temporal and fronto-parietal lobes. A brain CT scan, with IV contrast confirmed that foci of increased uptake in the temporal and parietal lobes were consistent with typical meningioma.

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation in the spinal epidural space is extremely rare. We report a case of a 62-year-old man with a xanthogranulomatous inflammation in the spinal epidural space mistaken for lymphoma because of its avid F FDG uptake on PET/CT. This case emphasizes the need for caution when evaluating a spinal epidural mass using F FDG PET/CT as xanthogranulomatous inflammation can induce a false-positive reading on F-FDG PET/CT.

Sclerosing Angiomatoid Nodular Transformation (SANT) is a rare benign vascular tumor of spleen. It consists of multiple angiomatoid nodules surrounded by dense fibrous tissue that often coalesces centrally to form a scar, which is considered to be a characteristic feature. These are usually asymptomatic and incidentally detected on imaging for other underlying pathology. SANTs can be 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) avid on positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and thus can lead to false positive finding in oncological patients.

Objective Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is increasingly used to support a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a new expert system (PALZ) for the fully automated analysis of FDG PET images for diagnosis of the disease. Methods The PALZ tool is based on the detection of the typical disease pattern in FDG PET images. Its potential for this task was evaluated in 22 consecutive patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease who had been graded as positive for the pattern by an experienced reader (visual analysis supported by statistical parametric mapping (SPM)), and in 18 controls. Dependence on scanner performance was assessed by variation of the spatial resolution of the PET images. Results All the Alzheimer's disease subjects were classified as pattern-positive by the PALZ tool. Fifteen controls were classified as normal. Sensitivity and specificity for differentiation of the patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease from the controls were 100% and 83%, respectively. The false positive finding in three controls most likely was caused by differences in attenuation correction between the normal data base of the PALZ tool (cold transmission scan) and the local data sets (hot transmission scan). There was only mild dependence on spatial resolution. Conclusions The results of the present study suggest that the PALZ tool provides similar performance for the detection of the typical Alzheimer's disease pattern in FDG PET images as an experienced reader supported by SPM. The PALZ tool is fully automated, easy to use, and insensitive to the spatial resolution of the PET scanner used. Therefore, it has the potential for widespread clinical use.

Bronchial anthracofibrosis characterized by bronchostenosis associated with anthracotic pigmentation in bronchoscopic finding without a relevant history of pneumoconiosis or smoking has been recently described as a clinical entity. Radiologic finding of bronchial obstructive lesion and mediastinal lymph nodes in bronchial anthracofibrosis can be mimicking cancer. However, the metabolic characteristics of bronchial anthracofibrosis have hardly been reported. Here, we report a case of bronchial anthracofibrosis which showing hypermetabolism on F-18 FDG PET.

WEB This is a Web exclusive article. ET with 18F-FDG has been successfully used for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of many malignant tumors. PET is particularly useful for staging of head and neck tumors and for detecting recurrence [1]. Its utility in other settings, however, such as detection of non–squamous cell cancer of the head and neck and differentiating benign salivary gland tumors from malignant ones, is limited [2, 3]. This lack of usefulness may partly be explained by the poor anatomic localization of PET combined with variable physiologic uptake of FDG in the head and neck. These factors decrease the specificity of PET for head and neck cancer and thus increase the rate of false-positive findings. Combined PET/CT scanners, which fuse the functional data of PET with the anatomic data of CT, have shown promise in the evaluation of cancer of the head and neck [4]. Non–squamous cell cancer of the head and neck, particularly salivary gland tumors, however, have not been studied extensively with either PET or combined PET/CT. In cases that have been studied, the variable uptake from salivary gland tumors often causes false-negative results [4–6]. In addition, some benign tumors of the salivary glands, particularly Warthin’s tumor, show focal FDG uptake leading to false-positive results [2]. These false-positive findings reduce the utility of PET in differentiating benign salivary gland tumors from malignant tumors. We report a case of a benign parotid oncocytoma that had marked FDG avidity on PET/CT.

Kimura disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder that occurs mainly in Asians. We present a patient with pulmonary Kimura disease assessed by whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT examination and proved by pathologic findings. Chest x-ray detected left pulmonary hilum enlargement in a 49-year-old Chinese man. CT showed a soft tissue mass with punctate calcifications in the left pulmonary hilum, which obviously and homogeneously accumulated tracer on FDG PET. Histopathology findings showed characteristic of Kimura disease. Kimura disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of a pulmonary hilar tumor.

Purpose: To compare the performance of virtual and conventional colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal polyps using a multislice spiral CT scanner (MSCT). Materials and Methods: 48 patients (20 women, 28 men, mean age 61.5 5 years) with clinical indication for conventional colonoscopy were prospectively studied using a MSCT (Somatom Volume Zoom, Siemens, Forchheim). Examination was performed after standard oral preparation for colonoscopy and colonic distension with room air and i.v. butylscopolamin. Images were obtained in prone and supine position using a detector configuration of 4 × 1 mm, a table feed of 5 mm/rotation at 140 mAs and 120 kV. Slice thickness and reconstruction increment were 3 and 1.5 mm, respectively. CT data were assessed by two blinded radiologists on a Vitrea workstation (Vital Images, USA) using a software with multiplanar and volume-rendering capabilities. Results: 33 patients had normal findings on conventional colonoscopy. In 15 patients a total of 30 polyps and one carcinoma with stenosis were identified. MSCT-colonography identified the carcinoma and 23 polyps (77%). 3 of 3 polyps were 10 mm or more (100%), 6 of 7 were 5.1 to 9.9 mm (86%) and 14 of 20 were 5 mm or smaller (70%). There were 13 false positive findings for polyps (10 lesions < 6 mm in 5 patients) and no false positive finding of carcinoma. Conclusions: MSCT colonography allows accurate detection of polyps larger than 10 mm. Compared to published results of single-slice CT, multislice CT colonography increases the rate of detection of small colorectal polyps in particular. However, false positive results still remain a problem.

The value of colour Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis has been studied retrospectively. 17 patients were examined (34 main renal arteries and 7 accessory renal arteries; ages 37 to 84 years; 7 males and 10 females). We studied 1) ability to study the main renal arteries, 2) visibility of accessory renal arteries and 3) the sensitivity and specificity of colour Doppler sonography for the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis. The results were compared with intraarterial angiography. Demonstration of the main renal arteries with colour Doppler sonography was possible in 23 of the 34 vessels. Not a single of the 7 accessory renal arteries was demonstrated by colour Doppler sonography. Of 8 angiographically demonstrated stenoses (more than 50% narrowing) 2 were missed by colour Doppler sonography. One stenosis was correctly diagnosed and 5 were incorrectly evaluated by sonography. 16 out of 18 angiographically normal main renal arteries were correctly evaluated by colour Doppler sonography but 2 showed a false positive finding. This results in a sensitivity of 17% and a specificity of 89% per kidney. Colour Doppler sonography cannot be recommended as a screening method for renal artery stenosis in view of its limited accuracy.

Avid functional (18)F-FDG uptake of skeletal muscle is a known false positive finding of PET-CT study especially after involuntary muscle exercise just prior to the study. We describe the case of a 50-year-old man in whom the finding of avid (18)F-FDG uptake of pectoralis major muscle was encountered during investigation of metastatic melanoma.

Methods 24 primary and pre-treated patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma according to the International Myeloma Working Group criteria were examined by F-FDG PET/CT and whole-body MRI including DWI (b= 0, and b= 800 s/mm). F-FDG PET/MRI was used to achieve correct matching of findings in the corresponding PET/ CT study. Suspicious lesions were defined by the imaging gold-standard of nonenhanced T1-w/T2-wMRI and low-dose CT.

False-positive findings are commonly seen in positron emission tomography computed tomography imaging. One of the most common false positive finding is uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose in brown adipose tissue. Herein, we report two cases with incidentally detected hibernomas-a brown fat containing tumor with metabolic activity.

PET/CT is a widely accepted imaging modality in the diagnosis and staging of lymphoma because of the increased FDG uptake commonly detected in malignant lesions. However, various causes of false-positive FDG localization have been described, including in nonmalignant lymph nodes. We report a patient with a history of Hodgkin lymphoma who presented with bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy, which was intensely FDG-avid on PET/CT imaging. Biopsy of lymph nodes from both axillae revealed benign follicular hyperplasia. Follicular hyperplasia is a potential false-positive finding on PET/CT imaging, and obtaining pathologic confirmation of malignancy should be considered before treatment.

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with In-111 octreotide has shown excellent accuracy in many neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoid. Substantial gallbladder activity may be present on early images; however, the administration of a fatty meal and/or the effect of time generally results in littl

CT was carried out in 50 patients with clinical suspicion of hyperparathyroidism, in order to localise the adenoma. In 45 patients, the diagnosis was confirmed at operation and adenomas or hyperplastic glands were removed. In the remaining five patients the diagnosis was not confirmed at operation, nor by the subsequent clinical course. On four occasions, CT correctly turned out to be negative and in one patient a false positive finding was obtained. Amongst the 45 patients, a total of 59 enlarged glands (adenomas or hyperplastic glands) were found at operation and removed. Pre-operative CT was positive and correct in 78% and negative and incorrect in 22%. Of eight adenomas in the mediastinum, seven could be recognised pre-operatively. Previous operations on the neck did not reduce diagnostic accuracy. The techniques and results are described and discussed.

Between 1965 and 1968, 6500 lymphograms were performed at the University of Gottingen. Amongst these, there were 412 patients with malignant testicular tumours. In 81 patients the results of lymphography could be checked histologically. There was agreement between the lymphographic and histological findings in 65 patients (80.3%), sensitivity of 98.1% (51 out of 52) and specificity of 48.3% (14 out of 29). In 50 patients CT was performed in addition. The findings agreed in 31 cases; in eight patients lymphangiography resulted in a false positive finding and CT was incorrect in 12 patients. In all patients with proven retroperitoneal metastases, one or the other method produced a correct diagnosis.

The specificity of radioimmunoassay of aflatoxin B1 was tested. Relative cross-reactivity of used antiserum with aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and M1 was found to be 100%, 24%, 44.2%, 10.3%, and 1.4%, respectively. The interference of coumarin, albumins, steroids and ethylvanilin was estimated also in radioimmunoassay of aflatoxin B1. Thus these compounds may cause a false positive finding of aflatoxin B1.

Selective venous sampling for parathormone estimations has become an important method in the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism and, together with thyroid phlebography, is an accurate means for localising hormone active parathyroid tissue. Thirty-three patients were examined by this technique and in 25 of these an exploration was carried out subsequently. Twenty-one had primary hyperparathyroidism. In one case hormone analysis lead to a false positive finding. In 18 of these 21 patients, the hormone-active parathyroid tissue was correctly localised. Phlebography showed evidence of an adenoma in five patients, but is of most use for localising the source of the hormone.

1. Residual barium in the bowel, when superimposed over the liver, can produce localized areas of decreased uptake on a scan and thereby a false positive finding. This was detected clinically and confirmed by experimental means.2. A scout roentgenogram of the abdomen is recommended immediately prior to the scanning of abdominal organs.