F-18 FDG Uptake in a Bone Infarct: A Case Report

Purpose The authors describe a patient with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake resulting from a bone infarct of a rib. Materials and Methods A 52-year-old woman with a history of left breast cancer and total mastectomy 5 years earlier was examined for pain in her left rib cage in the past 2 weeks. A bone scan showed diffusely increased uptake in the left fifth rib, possibly suggestive of a metastasis. An FDG positron emission tomographic (PET) scan was performed to rule out metastatic disease. Results The FDG PET images showed two focal areas of increased uptake in the fifth and sixth left ribs, consistent with bone metastases. The patient underwent excision of a long segment of her left fifth rib and the pathological findings were consistent with bone infarct, without definite signs of metastatic disease. Conclusion Bone infarct can take up FDG, probably as a result of an inflammatory process.