False Positive Findings on 18F-MFBG PET/CT Attributable to Benign Neural Differentiation in a Pediatric Patient With Neuroblastoma.
Siqi Li, Xiaoya Wang, Bingyan Zhang et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 5-year-old girl with high-risk neuroblastoma underwent an 18F-MFBG PET/CT scan to evaluate indeterminate lesions seen on prior imaging. The scan showed moderate uptake in pelvic lymph nodes and the left third sacral foramen. Surgical resection and histopathological analysis revealed mature ganglion cells within Schwannian stroma, indicating benign neural differentiation rather than neuroblastoma recurrence.
What made this case unusual
The case highlights false-positive findings on 18F-MFBG PET/CT due to benign neural differentiation, which is atypical in the context of neuroblastoma imaging.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should be aware that 18F-MFBG PET/CT may yield false-positive results in pediatric neuroblastoma cases due to benign neural maturation.
Why it matters
Understanding the potential for false positives in imaging can prevent misinterpretation and unnecessary interventions in pediatric patients with neuroblastoma.