Case Report: Brown Fat Accumulation of Tc-99m Macroaggregated Albumin in a Lung Perfusion Study in a Patient With Multiple Lung Arteriovenous Malformations and Right-to-Left Shunting

An 18-year-old man was preoperatively assessed for a varicocele and found to be hypoxemic. A Tc-99m macroaggregated albumin lung perfusion scan showed right-to-left shunting, evidenced by increased radiotracer uptake in the brain, kidneys, thyroid gland, and bilateral supraclavicular areas, a typical location for brown adipose tissue. Chest computerized tomography angiogram study showed supraclavicular fat density areas and multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. The authors report a rare case of brown fat visualization on a lung perfusion scan in a patient with right-to-left shunting, likely because of increased perfusion to activated brown adipose tissue.