Misleading 68GALLIUM-dotatate PET scan in a patient with a history of a phaeochromocytoma: Unsuspected uptake in papillary thyroid carcinoma metastases

Scanning for somatostatin receptors using Ga-68-dotatate positron emission tomography with co-registration with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is now in widespread use for the identification of neuroendocrine tumours, phaeochromocytomas, and paragangliomas and their metastases. We present a case where a patient with a phaeochromocytoma showed uptake in her neck considered diagnostic of a head-and-neck paraganglioma, which was subsequently confirmed to be a metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. We alert clinicians to such falsely-identified tumours using this extensively used imaging technique.

Automated summary

Scanning for somatostatin receptors using Ga-68-dotatate positron emission tomography with co-registration with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is widely used for identification of neuroendocrine tumors. This case study highlights the importance of clinicians being cautious of falsely-identified tumors when using this imaging technique.