Reactive lymphadenopathy on FDG PET CT post COVID 19 vaccination: A potential pitfall and practical considerations

Abstract

COVID 19 pandemic has presented a myriad of imaging findings which we need to be aware of to avoid misdiagnosis or overcalling. One such finding, which presents as a diagnostic pitfall and a challenge in oncological imaging is regional uptake post COVID-19 vaccination. We report a case of regional 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake post COVID 19 vaccination. There is need to revise the protocols for imaging, determine the best time to image in the peri-vaccination period and acquire the pertinent history relating to the vaccination during 18F- FDG- PET CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) examinations.