Prevalence and Patterns of Physiologic Muscle Uptake Detected with Whole-Body ¹⁸F-FDG PET

A 67-y-old male patient with history of brain lesions. Urinary catheter indicates that this was an inpatient who came to PET department on a stretcher. Patient used sternocleidomastoid muscles while straining to lift his head to talk to technologists.

A 66-y-old man with history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Patient had chronic cough that continued during uptake phase, straining abdominal and respiratory muscles.

(A) A 78-y-old woman with history of non–small cell carcinoma. Patient complained of extreme shortness of breath and presented with intense coughing. (B) An 80-y-old man with history of squamous cell lung carcinoma. Increased uptake of diaphragm, crura, and accessory muscles of respiration is most likely due to labored breathing secondary to pulmonary disease.

(A) A 65-y-old man was talking during uptake phase, which demonstrates increased bilateral vocalis muscle uptake. (B) A 75-y-old man with history of non–small cell lung cancer of left lung. Unilateral vocalis muscle uptake most likely is explained by laryngeal nerve palsy due to chemotherapy and radiation.

A 60-y-old man with history of lung cancer. Technologist noticed patient reading a small book during uptake phase. Bilateral extensor and hand muscle uptake is most likely due to holding the book and turning pages.

A 71-y-old woman with history of lung cancer and COPD. Patient was noticed pushing herself to PET department in a wheel chair, which explains increased activity in triceps.

Muscles of anterior compartment of lower extremities were commonly seen in patients who walked excessively or tapped their feet before or during uptake phase. (A) A 48-y-old woman with history of melanoma was tapping her feet during uptake phase. (B) A 25-y-old male patient with Ewing's sarcoma who recently had right femur prosthesis. Increased activity in left anterior tibialis muscle was most likely due to altered weight bearing.