Respiratory Papillomatosis of Lung and F-18 FDG PET-CT

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is the most common benign tumor of the larynx in children. Papillomas in RRP are usually benign and are localized to the larynx. Lung involvement is rare. The papillomas in the laryngotracheal and bronchioloalveolar region may undergo malignant degeneration to squamous cell carcinoma and are reported to have a poor prognosis. A 28-year-old woman presented with hemoptysis. She had known RRP in the trachea but no previous lung involvement. A chest radiograph and CT scan revealed multiple nodules, some of which were cavitating and some were with a predominantly cystic appearance. PET/CT showed increased F-18 FDG uptake in these nodules and guided biopsy.