The Value of F-FDG PET in the Diagnosis of Intertrabecular Vertebral Metastasis in a Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient with a High Serum CEA Level.

We encountered a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patient with intertrabecular vertebral metastasis (IVM). A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with weight loss. F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET)-CT demonstrated the uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose in the hilum of the left lung and whole-body bones. Despite intensive support, the patient died within a month. Subsequent autopsy revealed a small lesion consisting of small round cells in the left lung. The cancer cells were found to have spread through the replacement of the bone marrow cells while sparing the trabecular bone. This case demonstrated the potential of F-FDG PET for detecting IVM in SCLC patients.