Rare case of isolated adrenal metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma without intrahepatic recurrence after hepatic resection detected with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography

Abstract

Although the adrenal gland is a common site of metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), adrenal metastases usually were detected at the time of diagnosis of primary HCC or simultaneously with intrahepatic recurrence after curative management of HCC. It is very rare that only metastatic HCC is detected without evidence of intrahepatic recurrence. Hereby, we report a rare case of adrenal metastasis from HCC without intrahepatic recurrence after hepatic resection detected with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). PET/CT showed intense uptake in the soft tissue metastasis in the left adrenal gland without evidence of intrahepatic recurrence.

Keywords

• Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography
• hepatic resection
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• isolated adrenal metastasis