A 69-year-old man with a history of lung cancer was referred for FDG whole body positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) fusion. Three days before the study, the patient was involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA). In addition to hypermetabolic lesions representing metastatic lung cancer, PET scan showed marked anterior and lateral abdominal muscle uptake. Multiple focal abnormalities were seen on the PET scan that corresponded to multiple rib fractures on the CT scan that were secondary to the MVA. When the patient was interviewed, he stated that he had thoracic wall pain that prevented him from breathing properly. This case illustrates an unusual pattern of increased anterior and lateral abdominal muscle uptake as a result of pain while breathing.