F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-positive parotid incidentaloma: Prevalence and clinical significance

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Authors: Urszula Kiendys, Hamphrey Ham, Wouter Bauters, Caroline Van den Broecke, Philippe Deron, Ingeborg Goethals

Published Date January 2009 , Volume 2009:2

Urszula Kiendys¹, Hamphrey Ham¹, Wouter Bauters², Caroline Van den Broecke³, Philippe Deron⁴, Ingeborg Goethals¹

¹Department of Nuclear Medicine; ²Department of Radiology; ³Department of Pathology; ⁴Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of parotid incidentaloma identified by F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET(-CT) scan and the clinical significance associated with this finding.

Methods: Records from all patients from January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2007 who had focal intense abnormal F-18 FDG uptake in the parotid glands without a previous history of squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck, lymph node metastasis from an unknown primary in the head and neck region or lymphoma, were reviewed.

Results: Of the 5476 PET-CT scans performed in as many patients, focal high-grade parotid F-18 FDG uptake was observed in 18 patients (prevalence of 0.3%). Eight patients (44%) underwent surgery. Four of 8 patients (50%) had benign tumors, 2 (25%) had infectious disease and 1 patient each had metastatic disease from a melanoma and a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Conclusion: F-18 FDG PET-positive parotid incidentaloma is rare. The prevalence of a PETpositive parotid incidentaloma in our study was 0.3%. Clear-cut focal high-grade abnormal F-18 FDG uptake was seen in benign tumors, infectious and metastatic disease.

Keywords: F-18 FDG PET-CT scanning, incidentaloma, parotid gland, prevalence