Repetition of FDG PET study in the same day after appropriate patient preparation revealed two new cancer localizations: a case report

Abstract

A positron emission tomography scan with fluorodeoxyglucosecan be affected by several factors. Skeletal muscle activation andphysiological presence of radioactivity in urine frequently causedifficulties in images interpretation. We report a case of a patientwith a non-operable left lung cancer, who was scheduled forFDG PET examination for radiotherapy planning purposes. In thefirst scan performed in the morning both elevated muscular andurinary uptake were present. For this reason another examinationwas performed on the same day. A new dose of radiopharmaceutical was given five hours after the first FDG injection and the patient was instructed to drink a large quantity of water in themeantime. The second PET scan clearly revealed two new lesions not visible at the time of the first examination: a synchronous bladder cancer, previously not known, and a mediastinal metastasis of the primary lung cancer. This case emphasizes the importance of correct patient preparation and shows the possibility to repeat PET examination on the same day.