Role of Fluorine 18 Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography–Computed Tomography in Focal and Generalized Infectious and Inflammatory Disorders
Abstract
"Several advances in imaging have become
part of the work-up for localization, diagnosis, and management of
infectious diseases
and inflammatory disorders. Utility of multiple
imaging modalities is a time-consuming step, and significant numbers of
patients
remain undiagnosed despite utilization of series of
tests. Inflammatory cells have avidity for fluorine 18–labeled
fluorodeoxyglucose
(18F-FDG), and thus positron emission
tomographic–computed tomographic (PET-CT) hybrid imaging provides
anatomical and metabolic
information that can be used to define the extent
of infectious and inflammatory diseases and assess response to
treatment.
PET-CT provides a “one-stop test” in which use of
hybrid imaging provides anatomical and metabolic information. The extent
of disease is defined quickly, and response to
treatment can be assessed. This modality also helps define the
metastatic and/or
septic foci where there is lack of localizing
symptoms. More recently, there is increasing awareness among clinicians
regarding
the ability of PET-CT to help in diagnosing,
characterizing, and assessing inflammatory disorders. This article
reviews the
usefulness of this imaging modality."
