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Post-TACE FDG Accumulation in HCC Surrounding the Liver Parenchyma: Distinguishing Between Inflammatory Pseudotumors
Mirei Abe1, Yoshitaka Toyama2, Akitoshi Sano3
1From the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.
Abstract:
An 80-year-old patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent an 18 F-FDG PET/CT scan owing to suspected lumbar metastasis identified via a CT scan performed during transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) 2 weeks earlier. The PET scan revealed segmental high uptake in the HCC and surrounding liver parenchyma, where lipiodol deposited during TACE had mostly washed out. The segmental uptake was attributed to TACE-induced inflammatory changes in the liver parenchyma around the HCC, confirmed by reduced uptake in a follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT scan 4 months later. This highlights the need to differentiate between inflammation and viable HCC in post-TACE 18 F-FDG PET/CT evaluations.
