Hepatic Vascular Shunts Mimicking Malignant Lesions on 18 F-FDG PET/CT Imaging: Interpretation Pitfall in the Background of Cirrhotic Liver

Sanchay Jain; Assim Saad Eddin; Parren McNeely; Michael Graham; Ahmad Shariftabrizi

doi:10.4274/mirt.galenos.2025.45712

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Hepatic Vascular Shunts Mimicking Malignant Lesions on 18 F-FDG PET/CT Imaging: Interpretation Pitfall in the Background of Cirrhotic Liver

Sanchay Jain, Assim Saad Eddin, Parren McNeely, Michael Graham and Ahmad Shariftabrizi

Molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy, Vol.35(1), 61

02/03/2026

DOI: 10.4274/mirt.galenos.2025.45712

PMCID: PMC12869110

PMID: 41635143

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Abstract

A 44-year-old female presented with recent history of ischemic strokes and hypercoagulability and chronic alcoholic cirrhosis. F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography was performed during the workup for vasculitis. PET features of vasculitis were not identified, but liver showed multiple hepatic FDG avid foci, concerning for malignant or metastatic disease in the background of cirrhosis of liver. To characterize these lesions, liver magnetic resonance imaging was subsequently performed which revealed hepatic vascular shunts corresponding to the sites of the FDG avid foci. This case highlights potential interpretation n pitfall arising due to FDG avidity in the vascular shunts resembling malignant or metastatic lesions.

18F-FDG PET/CT

hepatic vascular shunt

liver cirrhosis

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hepatic Vascular Shunts Mimicking Malignant Lesions on 18 F-FDG PET/CT Imaging: Interpretation Pitfall in the Background of Cirrhotic Liver
Creators: Sanchay Jain - University of Iowa
Assim Saad Eddin - University of Iowa Health Care Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Iowa City, United States
Parren McNeely - University of Iowa Health Care
Michael Graham - University of Iowa Health Care
Ahmad Shariftabrizi - University of Iowa Health Care
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy, Vol.35(1), 61
DOI: 10.4274/mirt.galenos.2025.45712
PMID: 41635143
PMCID: PMC12869110
NLM abbreviation: Mol Imaging Radionucl Ther
ISSN: 2146-1414
eISSN: 2147-1959
Publisher: Turkish Society of Nuclear Medicine
Language: English
Date published: 02/03/2026
Academic Unit: Radiology; Radiation Oncology
Record Identifier: 9985139477902771

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