Incidental PET findings may reveal undetec...( n one patient with a lung nodule that w...),Health

n one patient with a lung nodule that was proven benign, an incidental PET abnormality was noted in the breast. In a follow-up mammogram and ultrasound with specific attention to the area of PET abnormality, a subtle cancer was identified and proven by biopsy. "If the patient had not received follow-up," Dr. Agress said, "her cancer could have gone undetected until at some time it may have become larger or possibly spread."

Nine abnormalities were benign and three findings were false positives. Of the nine benign lesions, three were considered clinically important due to the potential for local destruction, systemic effects or asymptomatic infection, subsequently requiring surgery or medical therapy.

PET, which identifies areas of abnormal chemical and metabolic action, is rapidly gaining popularity for tumor evaluation and management. According to Dr. Agress, unexpected abnormalities are found with PET because the scans include the entire body, and because PET can frequently identify metabolically active lesions that may not be easily identified as anatomic abnormalities on CT. Abnormal findings on a PET scan can arise from cancer, inflammation or infection. He cautions that PET identifies certain cancers but does not detect all tumors.

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Contact: Maureen Morley
mmorley@rsna.org
630-590-7754
Radiological Society of North America
27-Jan-2004

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