Markedly increased FDG uptake in a vocal cord after medialization with Teflon: PET/CT findings

An FDG PET scan was requested for a 73-year-old man who had been previously diagnosed and treated for esophageal carcinoma and mediastinal nodal involvement with chemoradiotherapy. He originally presented with a hoarse voice and dysphagia. The PET scan was requested to assess treatment response, although a baseline scan had not been done. Two weeks prior to the PET scan the patient fell and fractured his left clavicle. On the PET scan there was no evidence for residual esophageal disease but there was marked focal FDG uptake in the left larynx and moderate FDG uptake at the sites of the recent fractures (clavicle and ribs). The PET findings prompted further review. It was noted that 6 months prior to the PET scan, and a month after the initial diagnosis, there had been a left vocal cord medialization with Teflon to treat the left vocal cord paresis.