Papillary Urothelial Carcinoma of Urinary Bladder Identified on 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT

F-18-fluciclovine is a radiolabeled synthetic amino acid recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for evaluating recurrent prostate cancer. Upregulated amino acid transporters in prostate cancer cells result in elevated radiotracer uptake in sites of tumor recurrence. However, F-18-fluciclovine is not specific for prostate cancer. Nonprostatic malignancies and benign conditions can also demonstrate uptake. This information combined with the knowledge about common patterns of prostate cancer recurrence helps guide appropriate management. We present an 87-year-old man with biochemical recurrence for prostate cancer but found to have a urinary bladder wall mass on F-18-fluciclovine PET/CT with moderate avidity. Biopsy revealed papillary urothelial carcinoma.

Automated summary

F-18-fluciclovine is a radiolabeled synthetic amino acid used for evaluating recurrent prostate cancer, but it is not specific to prostate cancer and can also show uptake in non-prostate conditions. We present a case of an 87-year-old male with a bladder wall mass detected on F-18-fluciclovine PET/CT, ultimately diagnosed as papillary urothelial carcinoma.