Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Palate Detected by Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Screening

We report a case of pleomorphic adenoma on the left side of the hard palate detected by positron emission tomography/computed tomography. A 52-year-old woman underwent whole-body positron emission tomography examination with fluorodeoxyglucose for cancer screening at a nearby medical centre, which showed fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the hard palate. The patient was referred to the Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan, for further evaluation. The lesion was 10 × 8 mm in size, with a clearly demarcated border, and the elastic soft mass had intact mucosa covering its surface. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass in the left side of the hard palate corresponding to the area on positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The clinical diagnosis was benign tumour of the palate. Surgical resection was performed under general anaesthesia. The histopathological diagnosis was pleomorphic adenoma. There have been no signs of recurrence 1 year after surgery.