False-Positive Axillary Lymph Nodes Due to Silicone Adenitis on (18)F-FDG PET/CT in an Oncological Setting

Ludovic D'hulst; Daniël Nicolaij; Laurence Beels; Olivier Gheysens; Herwig Alaerts; Christophe Van de Wiele; Alex Maes

doi:10.1016/j.jtho.2016.01.001

False-Positive Axillary Lymph Nodes Due to Silicone Adenitis on (18)F-FDG PET/CT in an Oncological Setting

J Thorac Oncol. 2016 Jun;11(6):e73-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2016.01.001. Epub 2016 Jan 8.

Authors

Ludovic D'hulst¹, Daniël Nicolaij², Laurence Beels³, Olivier Gheysens⁴, Herwig Alaerts⁵, Christophe Van de Wiele², Alex Maes³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Groeninge, Reepkaai 4, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: ludovic.d'hulst@azgroeninge.be.
² Department of Nuclear Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Groeninge, Reepkaai 4, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Groeninge, Reepkaai 4, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; University of Leuven, Kulak, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Groeninge, Reepkaai 4, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; University of Leuven, Kulak, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
⁵ Department of Pathology, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Groeninge, President Kennedylaan 4, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.

PMID: 26776866
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2016.01.001

Abstract

The case of a 49-year-old transgender individual with a history of bilateral silicone breast implants and a right lung mass proven by biopsy to be a non-small cell lung cancer is presented. In addition to the primary malignancy, a positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan showed contralateral hypermetabolic adenopathy in the left axilla that was suggestive of nodal metastatic disease. Additional imaging and histological examination of the lymph nodes indicated silicone breast implant leakage and silicone adenitis as the underlying cause of the hypermetabolic axillary lymph node.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Axilla
Breast Implants / adverse effects*
Breast Neoplasms / surgery*
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnostic imaging
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology*
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / surgery
Female
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
Humans
Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
Lung Neoplasms / pathology
Lung Neoplasms / surgery
Lymph Nodes / diagnostic imaging
Lymph Nodes / pathology*
Lymphadenitis / diagnostic imaging
Lymphadenitis / etiology
Lymphadenitis / pathology*
Lymphatic Metastasis
Male
Middle Aged
Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / methods*
Radiopharmaceuticals
Silicones / adverse effects*
Transgender Persons

Substances

Radiopharmaceuticals
Silicones
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18