A CASE OF COLON CANCER WITH A LIVER ABSCESS DIAGNOSED BY FDG-PET

• Published in: Nihon Rinsho Geka Gakkai Zasshi (Journal of Japan Surgical Association) Vol. 67; no. 4; pp. 838 - 842
• Main Authors: YAMAGUCHI, Tomohito, NISHIGAMI, Kohei, KAWASAKI, Tadatoshi, KAWAMI, Hiroyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Surgical Association 25.04.2006
• Subjects: FDG-PET
• ISSN: 1345-2843; 1882-5133
• DOI: 10.3919/jjsa.67.838

An 81-year-old woman admitted to the department of internal medicine in our hospital because of fever and general fatigue was found having a liver tumor and referred to the department of surgery. The body temperature on admission was 38.3°C. Enhanced CT scan of the abdomen visualized a solitary tumor with enhanced periphery in the right lobe of liver. Liver abscess was diagnosed, however, a possibility of metastatic liver tumor could not be ruled out so that FDG-PET was carried out. It showed abnormal accumulation in the liver tumor as well as left upper abdomen. Barium enema study showed a narrowing portion at the splenic flexure. CT scan revealed wall thickening of the transverse colon. Following administration of antibiotics her fever decreased and the liver tumor diminished in size. FDG-PET showed disappearance of the abnormal accumulation in the liver tumor. From these findings, colonic cancer associated with liver abscess was diagnosed and laparotomy was performed. Transverse colectomy was employed for transverse colon cancer at the splenic flexure. Thereafter the liver abscess completely disappeared, and no liver abscess and colonic cancer have recurred. In this paper we present this case of transverse colon cancer with liver abscess which presented with liver abscess and was diagnosed by FDG-PET, together with a review of the literature.