68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT demonstrated higher avidity for subcutaneous deposits of Stewart-Treves syndrome compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT, potentially aiding in early diagnosis.
Case Report (n=1)
Does 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT improve the detection of Stewart-Treves syndrome compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT in a patient with chronic lymphedema?
68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT may offer better performance than 18F-FDG PET/CT for the early diagnosis of Stewart-Treves syndrome in breast cancer patients with chronic lymphedema.
A 40-year-old woman, who underwent modified radical mastectomy and chemoradiotherapy for triple-negative left breast cancer, presented with increasing lymphedema of the proximal left upper limb of 2 years' duration. She underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT (FDG) and 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT (FAPI) scans, which showed subcutaneous deposits that were more FAPI-avid than FDG. These were diagnosed as Stewart-Treves syndrome (STS), which is a rare, highly aggressive angiosarcoma arising in chronic lymphedema. Better performance of FAPI vis-à-vis FDG scan may aid in early diagnosis and timely intervention in this rare, albeit clinically important, pathology in breast cancer patients with chronic lymphedema.
Patil et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Stewart-Treves syndrome (n=1). 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT vs. 18F-FDG PET/CT was evaluated on Tracer avidity of subcutaneous deposits. 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT demonstrated higher avidity for subcutaneous deposits of Stewart-Treves syndrome compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT, potentially aiding in early diagnosis.
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