Key result
F-18 FDG PET/CT showed minimal background uptake in a parapharyngeal hemangioma, adding confidence to the diagnosis and avoiding an invasive biopsy.
Case Report (n=1)
F-18 FDG PET/CT combined with tagged red blood cell scan can confidently diagnose parapharyngeal hemangiomas, avoiding the need for invasive biopsy.
May support FDG PET/CT for noninvasive parapharyngeal hemangioma diagnosis; leaves open need for validation beyond single case.
Tumors of the parapharyngeal space (PPS) are uncommon, comprising 0.5% of all head and neck neoplasms. Hemangiomas are responsible for <1% of all such tumors occurring in the PPS. We present the case report of a 55-year-old woman who presented with sensorineural hearing loss. She was evaluated with an magnetic resonance imaging, which showed an incidental finding of a mass in the right PPS. Tagged red blood cell scan showed increased and progressive attenuation in the lesion, which is diagnostic of hemangioma. PET/CT showed minimal background uptake. This added confidence to the diagnosis, and thus avoided an invasive biopsy.
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Surasi et al. (2010) conducted a case report in Parapharyngeal hemangioma (n=1). F-18 FDG PET/CT Imaging was evaluated on Diagnostic confidence and avoidance of invasive biopsy. F-18 FDG PET/CT showed minimal background uptake in a parapharyngeal hemangioma, adding confidence to the diagnosis and avoiding an invasive biopsy.
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