Uncommon breast tumor attenuation artifact on radionuclide ventriculography

Clin Nucl Med. 2008 Apr;33(4):288-9. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e3181662f5e.

Abstract

A 39-year-old woman with locally advanced left breast cancer (T4 N0 M0) underwent equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography for baseline assessment of left ventricular function before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The left ventricular ejection fraction was 76% at 75 beats per minute, without localized wall motion abnormality. In the best septal left anterior oblique projection, a large photopenic "halo" surrounded the cardiac chambers, mimicking a pericardial effusion. In fact, this aspect resulted from an attenuation artifact by a large left breast tumor, as demonstrated by FDG-PET/CT imaging.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Artifacts*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Diagnostic Errors / prevention & control*
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Radionuclide Ventriculography / methods*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging*