PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mohei M. Abouzied
AU  - Elpida S. Crawford
AU  - Hani Abdel Nabi
TI  - <sup>18</sup>F-FDG Imaging: Pitfalls and Artifacts
DP  - 2005 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
PG  - 145--155
VI  - 33
IP  - 3
4099  - http://tech.snmjournals.org/content/33/3/145.short
4100  - http://tech.snmjournals.org/content/33/3/145.full
SO  - J. Nucl. Med. Technol.2005 Sep 01; 33
AB  - 18F-FDG PET is emerging as a useful tool in the staging and restaging of many malignant neoplasms, such as lymphoma, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma. To accurately interpret 18F-FDG findings one must be familiar with the normal physiologic distribution of the tracer, frequently encountered physiologic variants, and benign pathologic causes of 18F-FDG uptake that can be confused with a malignant neoplasm. The objectives of this article are to (a) describe the mechanism of 18F-FDG uptake, (b) list the patient preparation and pertinent patient history before 18F-FDG imaging, (c) describe the whole-body physiologic distribution of 18F-FDG, (d) list and discuss normal physiologic variants, and (e) list and discuss benign pathologic causes of 18F-FDG uptake.