Occult squamous cell carcinoma of the uvula detected by F-18 FDG PET/CT in a case of carcinoma of unknown primary in the head and neck

Clin Nucl Med. 2010 Oct;35(10):800-1. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e3181ef09cb.

Abstract

Incidence of unknown primary head/neck tumors with metastatic cervical lymphadenopathy at time of diagnosis is approximately 2% to 9%. Detecting site of original disease is challenging. We present a 75-year-old woman with bulky unilateral level 2 and 3 lymphadenopathy. Clinical examination and computed tomography (CT) did not reveal detectable abnormalities except neck-node metastases; biopsy indicated metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging was performed to detect the primary tumor site, which revealed a small metabolically-avid lesion in uvula, biopsy demonstrated SCC, the origin of metastatic disease. F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging of unknown primary head/neck tumors can have positive impact in identifying small occult primary tumor foci.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary*
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Mouth Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Mouth Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / diagnosis*
  • Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / diagnostic imaging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Uvula* / diagnostic imaging

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18