Extrapulmonary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Seminal Vesicles and Prostate Demonstrated on 18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography

Extrapulmonary primary small cell carcinomas arising from the urogenital tract is infrequent. It can rarely arise from the prostate and even more rarely from the seminal vesicles. We present a 79-year-old male who was admitted due to acute renal failure with a history of radical radiotherapy for prostate adenocarcinoma 13 years ago. The prostate specific antigen level was not elevated. An abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scan showed markedly enlarged seminal vesicles causing bilateral ureteral obstruction and a mildly enlarged prostate. Further evaluation with fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/CT demonstrated extensive 18F-FDG uptake in the pelvis with diffuse involvement of both seminal vesicles and the prostate without pathologic uptake in the lungs or elsewhere in the body. Core biopsies of the prostate and both seminal vesicles revealed diffuse involvement by small cell carcinoma. Therapy could not be instituted due to a rapid deterioration in the patient's clinical condition.