11C-acetate and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography of pulmonary adenocarcinoma

Positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-acetate has been recently reported in detection of slow-growing tumors, such as well-differentiated adenocarcinomas of the lung, which are often negative with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET. Here we present findings of acetate-PET and FDG-PET in a case of adenocarcinoma that was comprised of peripheral ground glass opacity and solid central components, and was histologically comprised of both a well-differentiated and a moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma, respectively. Acetate-PET was positive in both components, whereas FDG-PET was only positive in the solid central component. The present case demonstrates the figurative findings of acetate-PET and FDG-PET in lung adenocarcinoma.