TURKISH JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2012 , Vol 27 , Num 1
The vaccine injection sites mimicking metastases of malignant melanoma on FDG PET
Okan FALAY,1 Hikmet BAYHAN2
1MEDICA Tıp Merkezi, Nükleer Tıp, İstanbul
2Mol-Image Moleküler Görüntüleme Sanayi, Nükleer Tıp, İstanbul
The vaccine therapy is an adjuvant therapy combined with chemotherapy in stage III and IV malignant melanoma. Granuloma is a side effect of vaccines. Three stage IV patients were treated with the polyvalent vaccine consist of melanoma cell lysates. All patients have granulomas on injection sites with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptakes on PET. Granuloma is an organized collection of macrophages. Macrophages contain intense Glut-1 which is the most important deteminant of F-18 FDG uptake in cells. Granulomas can mimic skin or lymph node involvement of malignant melanoma on F-18 FDG PET. Keywords : Granuloma; glut-1; malignant melanoma; FDG; PET