“Quasi-Symmetric” FDG Avidity of Bilateral Salivary Glands in Mikulicz Disease Yielding False-Positive Staging in Lung Cancer

Abstract

A 77-year-old man with lung cancer underwent fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Cervical FDG uptake of variable intensity was detected corresponding to enlarged masses in the bilateral parotid and left submandibular regions. We suspected metastases from primary lung cancer or coexisting salivary gland neoplasms. Histopathological examination of the FDG-avid parotid mass revealed Mikulicz disease, an uncommon autoimmune disease involving the salivary glands. We present this case of Mikulicz disease with "quasi-symmetric" FDG avidity in the major salivary glands. We believe that salivary FDG uptake can lead to erroneous interpretation of tumor staging using PET.