Title:Unusual Breast Metastasis from Atypical Lung Carcinoid on 68Ga-DOTATATE
PET/CT
Volume: 20
Author(s): Berna Okudan, Bedri Seven*, Aslıhan Yıldırım and Aynur Albayrak
Affiliation:
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Training and Research Hospital, University of Amasya, Amasya, Turkey
Keywords:
Neuroendocrine tumor, Lung, Carcinoid, Breast metastasis, PET/CT, 68Ga-DOTATATE.
Abstract:
Background:
Atypical carcinoid (AC) is one of the rarest lung neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that rarely metastasize to the breast, and only a few cases have
been reported in the literature. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with somatostatin analogs (SSAs) labeled with
Gallium-68 (68Ga) now represents the gold standard for diagnosis and management of NETs. A case of an unusual metastasis to the breast from an
AC detected by 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT was reported.
Case Presentation:
A 73-year-old woman was presented with a right breast lesion found on mammography screening, which revealed a metastatic neuroendocrine
tumor by histopathological analysis with a tru-cut biopsy. Subsequently, 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT imaging performed for the initial evaluation
showed increased radiotracer uptake in the lesion in the right breast as well as the nodular lesion in the middle lobe of the right lung, which was
histologically confirmed to be AC.
Conclusion:
Metastasis of uncommon AC of the lung to the breast is extremely rare. However, it is essential to properly differentiate metastatic tumors from
primary disease due to differences in clinical management and prognosis, and 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT is a unique diagnostic tool with the
advantage of whole-body imaging.
