Hypermetabolic Lesions of the Pancreas on FDG PET/CT

PURPOSE: Interpretation of (18)F-FDG PET/CT studies in the pancreas is challenging owing to nonspecific FDG uptake in various benign and malignant pancreatic lesions. The purpose of this atlas article was to demonstrate features of various pancreatic lesions encountered at our institution, both benign and malignant, which can result in hypermetabolism on FDG PET/CT imaging. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We presented FDG PET/CT studies of 13 patients with various pancreatic lesions. All patients underwent abdominal enhanced CT before FDG PET/CT. RESULTS: We described these cases under the following categories: exocrine pancreatic cancer, cystic tumors, solid pseudopapillary tumor, neuroendocrine tumor, lymphoma, pancreatitis (focal acute and chronic pancreatitis, mass forming pancreatitis, and autoimmune pancreatitis), and infection. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of a wide spectrum of hypermetabolic pancreatic lesions on FDG PET/CT is essential in accurate reading of FDG PET/CT.