68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT Scan as a Valuable Tool for Diagnosis and Staging of the Rare Entity of Tracheal Paragangliomas

Primary paraganglioma of the trachea is a rare differential among more common tracheal masses. Definitive diagnosis of tracheal masses is obtained via endoscopic biopsy. Utilization of Ga-68-DOTATATE PET/CT is valuable in the workup of these lesions as paragangliomas would have significantly higher radiotracer uptake compared with the more common squamous cell and adenoid cystic carcinomas. This is particularly important in tracheal paragangliomas, which are typically friable and hypervascular with higher risk of significant bleeding on biopsy. In addition, Ga-68-DOTATATE PET/CT can be used to evaluate for local invasion and metastatic disease as a 1-step imaging modality.