Key result
F-18 FDG PET imaging demonstrated increased uptake in the right auricle of a displaced heart, a normal variant that can mimic a pathologic mediastinal lymph node.
Case Report (n=1)
Awareness of normal variant F-18 FDG uptake in the right auricle of a displaced heart can prevent false-positive interpretations and unnecessary diagnostic workups.
May avoid false-positive mediastinal node calls on FDG PET in displaced hearts; leaves open confirmation of prevalence in larger series.
A positron emission tomography (PET) imaging study was performed in a patient with a history of lung cancer. The scan demonstrated increased fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the right auricle of a displaced heart. This same finding was also present on a prior PET study performed at an outside facility at which time it was erroneously interpreted to represent a pathologic mediastinal lymph node. This normal variant, particularly in patients with distorted anatomy, should be kept in mind to avoid a false-positive interpretation and to prevent unnecessary additional diagnostic workup or intervention.
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Kim et al. (2005) conducted a case report in Lung cancer (n=1). F-18 FDG PET imaging was evaluated on Increased F-18 FDG uptake in the right auricle of a displaced heart. F-18 FDG PET imaging demonstrated increased uptake in the right auricle of a displaced heart, a normal variant that can mimic a pathologic mediastinal lymph node.
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