Postoperative abdominal aspergilloma mimicking cervical cancer recurrence and diagnostic imaging, including F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, with false-positive findings

J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2009 Aug;35(4):808-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2009.01019.x.

Abstract

We present the case of a 39-year-old woman with a subfascial abscess. The patient had undergone radical hysterectomy for stage Ib1 cervical cancer. Six months after the surgery, she was found to have an elevated concentration of the serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen. Thereafter, she underwent magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an irregular mass (diameter: 2 cm) in the abdominal wall. Increased (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake into the mass was observed on positron emission tomography. Therefore, we could not rule out the possibility of the peritoneal dissemination of cervical cancer, and we resected the mass. The mass was pathologically and microbiologically diagnosed as a subfascial aspergilloma. The lesion was located in the subfascial area where a drain was inserted at the time of the primary laparotomy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen / microbiology*
  • Adult
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / blood
  • Aspergillosis / diagnosis*
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnosis*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals*
  • Serpins / blood
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / surgery*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Serpins
  • squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18