Heterogeneous Uptake of 18F-FDG and 68Ga-PSMA-11 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Clin Nucl Med. 2019 Mar;44(3):e133-e135. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000002452.

Abstract

We present the case of an 87-year-old man with a history of melanoma metastatic to the lungs found to have an FDG-negative liver lesion that was initially thought to be benign. Follow-up CT revealed growth of the liver lesion despite excellent response to nivolumab therapy of the pulmonary melanoma metastases. Biopsy of the lesion confirmed primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Follow-up F-FDG PET/CT showed minimal FDG uptake, slightly above liver background, and subsequent Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR showed focal, intense uptake of radiotracer in a different region of the tumor. These imaging findings support intratumor metabolic heterogeneity with radiotracer uptake in different tumor locations.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biological Transport
  • Biopsy
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Edetic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Edetic Acid / metabolism
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / metabolism*
  • Gallium Isotopes
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Oligopeptides / metabolism*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography

Substances

  • Gallium Isotopes
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Oligopeptides
  • gallium 68 PSMA-11
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Edetic Acid