False-Positive Positron-Emission Tomography-CT of a Teflon Granuloma in the Parapharyngeal Space Occurring after Treatment for a Patulous Eustachian Tube

a patulous eustachian tube. The patient returned in 2006 with a bloody left otorrhea. A positron-emission tomography-CT scan demonstrated a 2-cm hypermetabolic parapharyngeal mass, initially interpreted as a skull base tumor. Repeat neck CT confirmed a 2-cm hyperattenuated left parapha-ryngeal granulomatous mass. This is the first reported case of a Teflon granuloma presenting as a false-positive parapharyngeal mass. Positron-emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluorode-oxyglucose is a useful clinical tool for diagnosing and stag-ing head and neckmalignancies. Although sensitive for assess-ing neoplasms, increased uptake may be seen in nondiseased muscle, fat, glands, or tissues involved with infection and in-flammatory granulomatous disease. This report presents a case of a 55-year-old woman who underwent 2 Teflon injec-tions for treatment of a patulous eustachian tube (pET) in 1971 with a resultant false-positive PET-CT in 2006. In the 1970s, Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) was used to treat pET via a Bruning syringe for injection of Teflon into the eusta