<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Background. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) is routinely performed in patients with prostate cancer. In this clinical context, foci of FCH uptake in the head or in the neck were considered as incidentalomas, except for those suggestive of multiple bone metastases. Results. In 8 patients the incidental focus corresponded to a benign tumour. The standard of truth was histology in two cases, correlative imaging with MRI in four cases, 99mTc-SestaMIBI scintigraphy, ultrasonography and biochemistry in one case and biochemistry including PTH assay in one case. The final diagnosis of benign tumours consisted in 3 pituitary adenomas, 2 meningiomas, 2 hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands and 1 thyroid adenoma. Malignancy was proven histologically in 2 other patients: 1 papillary carcinoma of the thyroid and 1 cerebellar metastasis. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, FCH uptake by pituitary adenomas or hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands has never been described previously. We thus discuss whether there might be a future indication for FCH PET/ CT when one such tumour is already known or suspected: to detect a residual or recurrent pituitary adenoma after surgery, to guide surgery or radiotherapy of a meningioma or to localise a hyperfunctioning parathyroid gland. In these potential indications, comparative studies with reference PET tracers or with 99mTc-sestaMIBI in case of hyperparathyroidism could be undertaken.</abstract>

Background. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) is routinely performed in patients with prostate cancer. In this clinical context, foci of FCH uptake in the head or in the neck were considered as incidentalomas, except for those suggestive of multiple bone metastases. Results. In 8 patients the incidental focus corresponded to a benign tumour. The standard of truth was histology in two cases, correlative imaging with MRI in four cases, 99mTc-SestaMIBI scintigraphy, ultrasonography and biochemistry in one case and biochemistry including PTH assay in one case. The final diagnosis of benign tumours consisted in 3 pituitary adenomas, 2 meningiomas, 2 hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands and 1 thyroid adenoma. Malignancy was proven histologically in 2 other patients: 1 papillary carcinoma of the thyroid and 1 cerebellar metastasis. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, FCH uptake by pituitary adenomas or hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands has never been described previously. We thus discuss whether there might be a future indication for FCH PET/ CT when one such tumour is already known or suspected: to detect a residual or recurrent pituitary adenoma after surgery, to guide surgery or radiotherapy of a meningioma or to localise a hyperfunctioning parathyroid gland. In these potential indications, comparative studies with reference PET tracers or with 99mTc-sestaMIBI in case of hyperparathyroidism could be undertaken.

Incidental uptake of 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) in the head or in the neck of patients with prostate cancer

Department for nuclear medicine, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Department for Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre, Zaloška 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Phone: +386 1 522 35 48; Fax: +386 1 522 22 37

Médecine nucléaire, Hôpital Tenon, AP-HP, Paris, France

Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

Radiopharmacie, Hôpital Tenon, AP-HP, Paris, France

Nuclear Medicine Unit, National Cancer Institute CRO IRCCS, Aviano, Italy

Radiology and Oncology

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Incidental uptake of F-fluorocholine (FCH) in the head or in the neck of patients with prostate cancer

Background. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) is routinely performed in patients with prostate cancer. In...

Incidental uptake of ¹⁸F-fluorocholine (FCH) in the head or in the neck of patients with prostate cancer

Published Online: Jul 10, 2014

Page range: 228 - 234

Received: Aug 13, 2013

Accepted: Oct 11, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2013-0075

Keywords
FCH, PET/CT, incidentaloma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, hyperparathyroidism, thyroid adenoma

© by Marina Hodolic

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Incidental uptake of 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) in the head or in the neck of patients with prostate cancer

Published Online: Jul 10, 2014

Page range: 228 - 234

Received: Aug 13, 2013

Accepted: Oct 11, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2013-0075

KeywordsFCH, PET/CT, incidentaloma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, hyperparathyroidism, thyroid adenoma

© by Marina Hodolic

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Incidental uptake of ¹⁸F-fluorocholine (FCH) in the head or in the neck of patients with prostate cancer

Keywords
FCH, PET/CT, incidentaloma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, hyperparathyroidism, thyroid adenoma