Intense Esophageal FDG Activity Caused by Candida Infection Obscured the Concurrent Primary Esophageal Cancer on PET Imaging

Esophageal cancer frequently causes a focal intense FDG uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) imaging while esophagitis often results in a mild to moderate degree of FDG activity in a diffuse pattern. However, detection of an esophageal cancer can become difficult in the presence of a diffuse esophageal activity because of esophagitis. We present such case in which esophageal cancer superimposed by Candidal esophagitis is difficult to recognize on FDG PET images.