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A new pitfall on abdominal PET/CT: a retained surgical sponge
Eduard Ghersin1, Zohar Keidar, Olga R Brook
1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. gershine@hotmail.com
Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
|November 13, 2004
Summary
This study presents the first report on the appearance of retained surgical sponges (RSS) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Imaging findings initially suggested a tumor but were later clarified by multidetector CT, confirming an RSS.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Diagnostic Procedures
Background:
- Retained surgical items are rare but serious complications.
- Accurate diagnosis of retained surgical sponges (RSS) can be challenging.
- Advanced imaging modalities are crucial for identifying postoperative complications.
Observation:
- A patient presented with a suspected abdominal tumor.
- Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) revealed a hypometabolic area with increased 2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake.
- This PET/CT appearance was initially inconclusive for tumor diagnosis.
Findings:
- Contrast-enhanced multidetector CT (MDCT) provided a definitive diagnosis of a retained surgical sponge (RSS).
- This case highlights the characteristic, albeit initially misleading, PET/CT findings associated with an RSS.
- This is the first documented report describing the PET/CT appearance of an abdominal RSS.
Implications:
- Awareness of these imaging findings can aid in the early diagnosis of RSS.
- PET/CT may show specific patterns in cases of retained surgical sponges.
- MDCT remains a key tool for confirming the diagnosis of retained surgical sponges when PET/CT is equivocal.