Detection of Metastatic Involvement of the Pericardium on F-18 FDG-PET/CT Imaging

This is the case of a 46-year-old man with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The patient was initially studied with a conventional contrast enhanced CT scan that revealed a lung nodule in the lower right lobe, pathologic lymph nodes, and a pericardial effusion.(1) The whole body PET/CT study with F-18 FDG showed 2 sites of pathologic uptakes in the right lung, in multiple lymph nodes in the right pulmonary hilum, mediastinum, and supraclavicular regions and in the pericardium.(2-4) The transaxial PET/CT images showed diffuse involvement and a massive effusion of the pericardium.(5) Based on the PET findings, the patient underwent a pericardial biopsy, which proved the presence of metastases.(6-8)