68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in Cherry Hemangiomas

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine imaging
• Oncology
• Dermatology

Background:

• A 63-year-old man with a history of advanced prostate cancer experienced biochemical recurrence (PSA 0.32 ng/mL) one year post-prostatectomy.
• The patient underwent Gallium-68 PSMA-11 PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) for staging the recurrence.

Observation:

• The Gallium-68 PSMA-11 PET/CT scan identified multiple cutaneous and subcutaneous foci of uptake in the patient's upper body.
• Physical examination revealed numerous ruby-red papules, consistent with a prior diagnosis of cutaneous hemangiomas (also known as Campbell de Morgan spots).

Findings:

• The observed uptake in the hemangiomas was attributed to the nonspecific nature of Gallium-68 PSMA-11 binding to vascular lesions.
• This case demonstrates a potential imaging pitfall where benign vascular proliferations can exhibit abnormal radiotracer uptake.

Implications:

• Radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians must be aware of benign conditions that can cause false-positive findings on Gallium-68 PSMA-11 PET/CT scans.
• Careful correlation with physical examination and patient history is crucial for accurate interpretation of Gallium-68 PSMA-11 PET/CT, especially in cases of suspected prostate cancer recurrence.