214 AJR:193, July 2009
type) [3], maxillary sinus papilloma (un-
specified type) [4], pulmonary glandular
papilloma [5], choroid plexus papilloma [6],
and intraductal papilloma of the breast [7]. A
case of inverted papilloma with intense FDG
uptake (standardized uptake value [SUV],
9.0 at 1 hour and 18.1 at 2 hours) [8] and a
case of sphenoid sinus oncocytic papilloma
with intense uptake (mean SUV, 11.26; max-
imum SUV, 18.86) [9] have also been report-
ed. Two reports have indicated that PET can
be used to differentiate squamous cell carci-
noma from inverted papilloma. Significant-
ly higher FDG uptake was reported in five
cases of carcinoma (SUVs, 10.40–19.3) than
in five cases of sinonasal inverted papilloma
(SUVs, 1.98–4.65) [10], whereas another se-
ries reported SUVs of 4.9–7.3 associated with
three cases of benign inverted papilloma and
higher SUVs of 8.9 and 20.9 associated with
squamous cell carcinoma [11].
We performed a retrospective review of our
experience with FDG PET/CT scintigraphy
in the preoperative evaluation of patients with
histopathology-proven sinonasal papilloma.
Materials and Methods
This study was performed under an institu-
tional review board–approved protocol. Relevant
cases were identified through a search of a com-
puterized database of patients who underwent PET/
CT scintigraphy at the University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey–University Hospital be-
tween April 2001 and January 2008. Medical re-
cords were retrospectively reviewed. PET/CT scans
were re-reviewed by nuclear medicine physicians.
18
F-FDG PET Evaluation
of Sinonasal Papilloma
Erik G. Cohen
1
Soly Baredes
1
Lionel S. Zuckier
2
Neena M. Mirani
3
Yiyan Liu
2
Nasrin V. Ghesani
2
Cohen EG, Baredes S, Zuckier LS, Mirani NM,
Liu Y, Ghesani NV
1
Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-
Head and Neck Surgery, New Jersey Medical School,
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey,
140 Bergen St., Ste. E1620, Newark, NJ 07103. Address
correspondence to E. G. Cohen (coheneg@umdnj.edu).
2
Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine,
New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ.
3
Department of Pathology, New Jersey Medical School,
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey,
Newark, NJ.
NuclearMedicineandMolecularImaging•ClinicalObservations
AJR 2009; 193:214–217
0361–803X/09/1931–214
© American Roentgen Ray Society
S
inonasal papillomas are benign
tumors that occur in several his-
tologic forms by Hyams [1] clas-
sification, including fungiform,
inverted, and cylindric. Inverted papilloma is
locally aggressive and has been associated
with concurrent invasive squamous cell car-
cinoma in approximately 9% of cases [2].
Papillomas can be difficult to differentiate
from squamous cell carcinoma on clinical
and radiologic grounds. Preoperative imag-
ing studies and transnasal biopsy are gener-
ally performed before definitive resection.
However, squamous cell carcinoma, when
present, may not involve all areas of the pap-
illoma, making preoperative diagnosis of
malignancy problematic. CT and MRI are
commonly used to evaluate bone destruction
and soft-tissue extension, but neither tech-
nique is useful in differentiating sinonasal
papilloma from squamous cell carcinoma.
Treatment of sinonasal papillomas is pri-
marily by complete surgical resection, most
commonly either open or endoscopic medial
maxillectomy. Recurrence of inverted papillo-
ma has been reported in 18% of patients treat-
ed by standard open surgical techniques in
a pooled analysis [2]. Common postsurgical
follow-up consists of serial nasal endoscopy
and CT or MRI. It is often difficult to differ-
entiate postoperative mucosal thickening and
fibrosis from recurrent papilloma on clinical
examination and routine radiologic imaging.
Case reports of FDG uptake in several
types of papillomas have been published,
including tonsillar papilloma (unspecified
Keywords: FDG PET, inverted papilloma, PET/CT,
sinonasal papilloma, squamous cell carcinoma
DOI:10.2214/AJR.08.1656
Received August 11, 2008; accepted after revision
September 17, 2008.
OBJECTIVE. It has been suggested that
18
F-FDG uptake determined by PET can differ-
entiate squamous cell carcinoma from benign sinonasal papilloma. We wish to present our
experience with sinonasal papillomas and PET/CT to determine if the degree of FDG uptake
is indicative of benign or malignant disease.
CONCLUSION. Benign sinonasal papilloma may be associated with intense FDG up-
take on PET/CT. FDG PET/CT does not appear to reliably differentiate benign from malig-
nant sinonasal papilloma.
Cohen et al.
FDG PET of Sinonasal Papilloma
Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Observations
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