Umbilical metastatic deposit from recurrent cholangiocarcinoma: F18-FDG PET-CT findings

Tan MLM, Padhy AK
Correspondence: Dr Mark Tan, minglong@starhub.net.sg

ABSTRACT
A 69-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage IIIA advanced Type IV Klatskin cholangiocarcinoma, which was treated with radical choledochectomy, extended right hepatectomy and left hepaticojejunostomy. About six months after surgery, she presented with painless jaundice. A 2-18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (F18-FDG PET-CT) was performed, which detected an FDG-avid umbilical metastatic nodule. We describe the F18-FDG PET-CT features of umbilical metastatic nodule in recurrent cholangiocarcinoma. It is sometimes difficult to detect the lesions when they present with nonspecific soft tissue thickening on routine CT imaging. F18-FDG PET-CT would probably render these lesions easier to detect and interpret.

Keywords: cholangiocarcinoma, FDG PET, umbilical metastatic nodule
Singapore Med J 2011; 52(11): e236-e238