Application of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Rare Metastatic Locations of Esophageal Carcinoma

Background: Esophageal carcinoma is a kind of malignant tumor commonly seen in clinic. In recent years, positron emission tomography (PET)/CT can accurately locate the general tumor nidi and PET/CT detection is recommended to determine the clinical stages of esophageal carcinoma. The common metastatic locations of esophageal carcinoma include lymph nodes (including cervical, supraclavicular and celiac lymph nodes), lung, liver and bone. This study aimed to summarize the distribution and incidence of rare metastatic locations and the characteristics of 18F-FDG PET/CT image in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Methods: A total of 185 patients with esophageal carcinoma undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT detection in our hospital from August, 2009 to August, 2013 were collected to retrospectively analyze their clinical data. Metastatic nidi in rare locations were confirmed according to the results of clinical evaluation, imageological methods and follow-up. Results: A total of 19 patients with esophageal carcinoma suffered from metastases in rare locations according to the 18F-FDG PET/CT detection, with incidence of 10.27%. The rare locations included pleura (28.6%), peritoneum (23.8%), adrenal gland (1.6%), axillary lymph nodes (14.3%), nasal septum (4.8%), cerebellum (4.8%) and napes (4.8%). Conclusion: 18F-FDG PET/CT detection can excellently detect the metastatic nidi in rare or uncommon locations and increase the accuracy of clinical staging and re-staging in patients with esophageal carcinoma, which has great guiding significance for clinical therapy