The Evaluation of Inflammatory Breast Cancer with F-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography and Review of The Literature

Abstract

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer characterized by dermal lymphatic invasion and tumor embolization resulting in erythema and edema of the breast. In many cases, by the time of diagnosis, there is already distant metastasis. Mammography, US, CT and MRI are usually preformed for initial staging; however, PET/CT can also be used for initial staging as it offers additional diagnostic information.