대한흉부영상의학회 Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology

Discussion

Diagnosis With Brief Discussion

Diagnosis

Tuberculous Lymphadenitis Showing High FDG Uptake on PET

Radiologic Findings

Contrast-enhanced CT scans show enlarged right hilar and interlobar lymph nodes. There are punctate calcifications in the right hilar lymph node. FDG-PET scan reveals hypermetabolic lesions in the right hilar and interlobar areas. The peak standardized uptake value of the lesion was 10. Exploratory thoracotomy was performed and the pathologic findings of the lymph node were consistent with tuberculous lymphadenopathy.

Brief Review

FDG PET can demonstrate the glucose metabolism of a lesion, which can be helpful in differentiating between benign and malignant pulmonary lesions. Malignant cells demonstrate higher glucose metabolic activity than benign lesions do. However, FDG is not a cancer-specific agent, and it has been reported that benign diseases related mainly to infection or inflammation also can show intense uptake. In geographic regions with a high prevalence of granulomatous lesions, positive FDG PET results should be interpreted with caution in differentiating benign from malignant pulmonary abnormalities.

References

1. Goo JM, Im JG, Do KH, et al. Pulmonary tuberculoma evaluated by means of FDG PET: findings in 10 cases. Radiology 2000; 216: 117-121.

Keywords

Mediastinum, Infection,