Schmorl Nodes Can Cause Increased ⁶⁸Ga Dotatate Activity On Pet/Ct, Mimicking Metastasis In Patients With Neuroendocrine Malignancy

Creator

Georgios Z. Papadakis, NIH Clinical Center (CC)
Corina Millo, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Ulas Bagci, University of Central Florida
Samira M. Sadowski, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Constantine A. Stratakis, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Keywords

68 Ga DOTATATE PET/CT; Inflammation; Neuroendocrine tumor; Schmorl node

Abstract

Schmorl node (SN) is the herniation of the nucleus pulposus through the cartilaginous and bony endplate into the adjacent vertebral body. It is documented that SNs produce areas of moderately increased 18F-FDG uptake.We present a case of a patient with history of neuroendocrine tumor, who underwent 68Ga DOTATATE PET/CT for follow-up, showing increased focal vertebral uptake suggestive of bone metastasis. CT revealed typical findings of an SN. The presented case indicates that SNs should be considered when encountering focally increased skeletal uptake in 68Ga DOTATATE PET/CT studies, which can mimic metastasis in patients with history of neuroendocrine tumors.

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Publication Title

Clinical Nuclear Medicine

Volume

41

Issue

3

Number of Pages

249-250

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1097/RLU.0000000000001065

Copyright Status

Unknown

Socpus ID

84946887503 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84946887503

STARS Citation

Papadakis, Georgios Z.; Millo, Corina; Bagci, Ulas; Sadowski, Samira M.; and Stratakis, Constantine A., "Schmorl Nodes Can Cause Increased ⁶⁸Ga Dotatate Activity On Pet/Ct, Mimicking Metastasis In Patients With Neuroendocrine Malignancy" (2016). Scopus Export 2015-2019. 2974.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scopus2015/2974