Utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Detecting Spinal Drop Metastases from Pineal Gland Tumors

Pineal gland tumors are significant despite being rare ( 1%) among all brain tumors. Germ cell tumors are the most common among the pineal gland tumors. Often affecting young adults, pineal gland germ cell tumors are hard to diagnose due to different symptoms and potential spread. But they rarely show leptomeningeal spread and extracranial metastases. Other differentials include primary tumors of the pineal region, Pineal gliomas, and metastases. The leptomeningeal spread of these tumors has not been studied so far. Conventional radiological imaging modalities are routinely used to diagnose and evaluate these tumors. We report a case here showing a pineal gland tumor with leptomeningeal spread detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT. Our case shows how pineal gland tumors can behave unusually and how 18F-FDG PET/CT can be crucial for accurately assessing the extent of the disease in the body to provide effective treatment. This case report illustrates the rare type of spread of pineal gland tumor and how 18F-FDG PET/CT helps detect this rare type of metastasis, thereby helping in prognostication and deciding further treatment of the patient.