Incremental Diagnostic Value of F-18 FDG PET/CT Over MRI in a Pediatric Patient With Suspected Hepatoblastoma and Histologic Diagnosis of Focal Nodular Hyperplasia

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric liver cancer representing 1% of all pediatric malignances and occurring mostly within 5 years of age. Liver recurrences and secondary lesions (abdomen, lung, and brain) can occur. Surgery and chemotherapy are widely accepted. Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a benign, usually asymptomatic, and incidental hepatic tumor with an unclear etiology, good prognosis, and its clinic management should be conservative. FNH could be evaluated by ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Nuclear medicine procedures do not have an effective role in evaluating HB/FNH but F-18 FDG PET/CT represents a new option. We report a case of a child with a lesion suspect for HB at magnetic resonance imaging and negative F-18 FDG PET/CT with histologic diagnosis of FNH after resection.