Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 27, 2025
09:02
Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation
Published on: February 15, 2018
19.7K
11C-Methionine Uptake in the Lactating Human Breast
Enrico Michler1, Stephan Hilliger1, Klaus Kopka2
1From the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|July 20, 2021
Summary
11C-methionine PET/MR scans can show radiotracer uptake in the breasts of nursing mothers due to lactation. This finding is important to consider when interpreting whole-body scans for cancer recurrence.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Medicine
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Glioblastoma resection requires follow-up imaging to monitor for recurrence.
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with 11C-methionine is used in neuro-oncology for tumor imaging.
Observation:
- A 33-year-old nursing mother underwent whole-body 11C-methionine PET/MR imaging.
- Slight radiotracer uptake was observed in the mammary glands, consistent with lactation.
Findings:
- This case report documents 11C-methionine uptake in the human breast during lactation.
- The observed uptake is a physiological finding related to breast activity.
Implications:
- Understanding physiological radiotracer uptake is crucial for accurate interpretation of PET/MR scans.
- This finding may impact the assessment of cancer recurrence in nursing mothers, requiring careful consideration of breast activity.
