Dorsal Vertebral Enhancement Mimicking Sclerosing Metastases in Lung Cancer

Abstract

We report cases of vertebral body enhancement in patients with superior vena cava and brachiocephalic venous obstruction appearing as sclerotic metastases in post-contrast CT.A 58-year-old male presented with right lung mass compressing the superior vena cava.Sclerotic areas seen involving few vertebrae in post-contrast scans.Another patient, 64-year-old female with right lung mass and narrowing of left brachiocephalic vein, sclerosis of lower cervical and upper dorsal vertebrae were seen in contrast studies. In both cases after resolution of pathology following treatment showed no enhancement in post contrast scan which was attributed to the collaterals arising due to obstruction, obviously not seen in metastases.
Keywords: Brachiocephalic vein obstruction; computed tomography CT; superior vena cava SVC; vertebral enhancement; venous collaterals