Intracranial leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in three cases from breast cancer demonstrated on f-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computerized tomography

Abstract

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) is an uncommon late manifestation of non-central nervous system (CNS) solid tumors. With prolonged survival in solid tumors, an increased frequency of metastases is noted in these tumors too. The detection of tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid remains the gold standard. Noninvasively, magnetic resonance imaging is frequently used for the diagnosis of LC. Although its low sensitivity of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT) on demonstrating CNS lesions, it could be useful in identifying the possibility of LC of breast carcinoma by giving high attention to the meninges. We discuss here three cases all of them having intracranial LC, where 18F-FDG PET/CT study helped us in the diagnosis of LC. To our knowledge, this is the second report about intracranial LC from breast cancer demonstrating on 18F-FDG PET/CT. © 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.