Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bone can mimic osteomyelitis on FDG PET

FDG can accumulate in the sites of both malignant and benign inflammatory/infectious processes. It is well known that increased FDG activity caused by inflammatory or infectious lesions can result in false-positive interpretation of PET images when a potential malignancy is being evaluated. However, less has been emphasized about the possibility that a malignant lesion can also be interpreted as infection when such a disorder was highly suspected. We report one such case in which a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the site of chronic osteomyelitis was mistaken as recurrent infection of the tibia.