Incidental Finding of Endobronchial Metastasis by 18F-FDG PET/CT Leads to Change in Management in a Patient With Rectal Adenocarcinoma

Clin Nucl Med. 2020 Dec;45(12):980-981. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003326.

Abstract

A 58-year-old man with history of resected rectal adenocarcinoma and synchronous unifocal pulmonary metastasis showed a solitary pulmonary relapse in follow-up CT after 3 years of complete remission. Resection was planned. Preoperative F-FDG PET/CT detected a high focal F-FDG uptake in the left main bronchus. Bronchoscopy showed a papillary endobronchial lesion that was biopsied. Histology confirmed distant colorectal metastasis. The initial treatment plan changed, and the recommendation for systemic therapy was made by a multidisciplinary oncology team. Endobronchial metastases are rare and difficult to detect in conventional CT. PET/CT is useful to uncover endobronchial metastasis, which may change patient management.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Biopsy
  • Bronchial Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Incidental Findings*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography*
  • Rectal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Rectal Neoplasms / pathology*

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18