Nucl Med Mol Imaging.  2017 Jun;51(2):178-181. 10.1007/s13139-016-0425-x.

Unusual Contiguous Soft Tissue Spread of Advanced Malignant Mesothelioma Detected by FDG PET/CT

• Zhang Y
• Edwards J
• Williams H
• Hao Z
• Khleif S
• Pucar D

• KMID: 2446899
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s13139-016-0425-x

Abstract

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a tumor of mesodermal origin that arises from the serosa of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium or tunica vaginalis. MPM is well known to have a poor prognosis with a median survival time of 12 months. Accurate diagnosis, staging and restaging of MPM are crucial with [18F] flurodeoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET/CT) playing an increasingly important role. Here we report a case of MPM with unusual contiguous soft tissue spread of the tumor along the dermal and fascial planes characterized by PET/CT. Given that the loco-regional tumor in the thorax was under control on PET/CT, the death of the patient was most likely associated with physiologic or metabolic causes associated with an extra-thoracic tumor.

Keyword

Malignantmesothelioma; Metastases; FDGPET/CT; Adjuvant chemotherapy

MeSH Terms

Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
Diagnosis
Humans
Mesoderm
Mesothelioma*
Neoplasm Metastasis
Pericardium
Peritoneum
Pleura
Positron-Emission Tomography
Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography*
Prognosis
Serous Membrane
Thorax