Physiologic 18F ‐FDG muscle uptake in severe COPD: Implications for accurate lung cancer staging

18F-FDG accumulates in pathologic lesions, and minimal18F-FDG may be observed in healthy muscles. However, physiologic18F-FDG uptake is seen in patients with COPD due to excessive metabolic activity as presented in our patient in this case. Clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon and exercise caution when staging lung cancer in these patients to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary interventions. Key messageRecognizing physiologic18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in severe COPD is crucial to avoid mistaking it for lung cancer metastasis. Correlating18F-FDG avid lesions with co-registered computed tomography is essential for accurate lung cancer staging and preventing unnecessary interventions.
Source: Respirology Case Reports - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: CLINICAL IMAGE Source Type: research