Gummatous Syphilis Mimicking Malignant Bone Tumor on FDG PET/CT

Clin Nucl Med. 2019 Apr;44(4):313-316. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000002450.

Abstract

A 47-year-old woman suffered worsening pain in the waist and numbness in the right thigh for 1 month. MRI was performed to determine the cause, which detected an osteolytic lesion in the T12 vertebral body, suggestive of possible bone metastasis. FDG PET/CT scan was undertaken to detect the primary tumor, which only showed the same isolated lesion in the T12 without any other abnormal hypermetabolic lesion. The pathology following vertebrectomy revealed granulomatous infection. The diagnosis of osseous syphilis was eventually made following a subsequent positive Treponema pallidum serological test.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography*
  • Syphilis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Syphilis / pathology

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18

Supplementary concepts

  • Syphilis, tertiary