Indonesian Journal of Cancer
Vol 14, No 4 (2020): December

Tuberculosis Infection Could Mimic Malignant Lymphoma In F-18 FDG PET: A Case Report

Ryan Yudistiro (Department of Nuclear Medicine, School of Medicine of Pelita Harapan University, Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre Siloam Hospital, Jakarta)
Ivana Dewi Mulyanto (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre Siloam Hospital, Jakarta)
Febby Hutomo (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre Siloam Hospital, Jakarta)
Daniel Chung (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre Siloam Hospital, Jakarta)
Andree Kurniawan (Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pelita Harapan University, Karawaci, Tangerang, Banten)
Fajar L. Gultom (Department of Anatomical Pathology, Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre Siloam Hospital, Jakarta)
Ralph Girson Gunarsa (Department of Hematology and Oncology, Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Centre Siloam Hospital, Jakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
28 Dec 2020

Abstract

Introduction: Lymphoma and tuberculosis in several cases share similar clinical features that are difficult to differentiate. Lymphadenopathy, fever, malaise, weight loss, and respiratory symptoms are clinical features that could be found in both lymphoma and tuberculosis. Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG PET) is a pivotal modality for imaging patients with cancer. Several non-malignant diseases like tuberculosis infection show high FDG uptake and lead to low specificity of F-18 FDG PET.Case Presentation: This case report describes a 55-year-old male patient with a history of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) who was suspected of having a recurrent disease. The patient has had a 6-month remission period after 6 cycles of R-CHOP regimen chemotherapy. He denied any known history of tuberculosis infection and HIV. F-18 FDG PET was performed to assess the extent of suspected lymphoma recurrent disease. F-18 FDG PET demonstrated multiple hypermetabolic bilateral neck region, mediastinum, and bilateral axilla lymphadenopathies. There were also multiple high FDG uptakes in the liver, mesocolon, and bones. The patient was suspected of having a lymphoma recurrent disease based on these findings. He underwent an excisional biopsy in the neck and was found to have lymphadenitis granulomatous disease from tuberculosis. Based on the histopathology finding, the patient received anti-tuberculosis drugs for 12 months and showed relief of signs and symptoms. F-18 FDG PET for anti-tuberculosis treatment evaluation revealed a complete metabolic response.Conclusion: Tuberculosis should be one of the differential diagnoses when a lymphoma recurrent disease is suspected. Clinical features, laboratory results, and imaging findings sometimes show similarities between lymphoma and tuberculosis. Histopathology evaluation is mandatory to confirm the diagnosis.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ijoc

Publisher

Subject

Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology Immunology & microbiology Medicine & Pharmacology Public Health

Description

Indonesian Journal of Cancer is a peer-reviewed and open-access journal. This journal is published quarterly (in March, June, September, and December) by Dharmais Cancer Hospital - National Cancer Center. Submissions are reviewed under a broad scope of topics relevant to experimental and clinical ...