A Case of Liver Injury Mimicking Metastasis After Gamma Knife Therapy for Lung Cancer: Evaluating by 18F-FDG PET/CT

Clin Nucl Med. 2018 Nov;43(11):860-863. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000002283.

Abstract

A 52-year-old man presented a mixed low-density lesion with high FDG uptake in hepatic segment VIII after gamma knife therapy for lung cancer, which was easily misdiagnosed as hepatic metastasis. Follow-up PET/CT assessment demonstrated that the hepatic lesion was barely observed and without FDG accumulation 5 months after radiotherapy. This case suggests that a new FDG-avid lesion at PET/CT after radiotherapy for lung cancer can be caused by radiation-induced liver injury. Knowledge of its imaging characteristics and nature course evaluated by follow-up PET/CT is critical to avoid misinterpretation of this lesion as metastases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography*
  • Radiation Injuries / diagnostic imaging*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Radiosurgery / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18