FDG-PET/CT activity leads to the diagnosis of unsuspected TB: a retrospective study

BMC Research Notes
Carolina GeadasKaren R Jacobson

Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection leads to latent or active tuberculosis (TB). Increased uptake on 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) has been reported in the lungs and lymph nodes of individuals with recent infection and active TB, but not in individuals without known recent exposure or suggestive symptoms. We describe five patients with lung nodules not suspected to be due to TB in whom abnormalities on FDG-PET/CT scans ultimately were attributed to TB infection. Patient records were searched using the words "positron emission tomography/computed tomography" and 24 codes for TB between 2004 and 2013. Patients with a diagnosis of TB and a PET/CT scan were included. Clinical and radiographic data were retrieved. PET/CT images were reviewed by an experienced radiologist. FDG-PET/CT scans revealed elevated FDG-uptake in lungs of five patients subsequently diagnosed with active (n = 3) or clinically inactive (n = 2) tuberculosis. Uptake magnitude was unrelated to disease activity. These findings suggest that tuberculosis latency may include periods of percolating inflammation of uncertain relationship to future disease risk.

References

Mar 19, 2014·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·Nasrin GhesaniKevin P Fennelly
Sep 4, 2014·Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR·Noton K Dutta, Petros C Karakousis
Dec 5, 2014·Science Translational Medicine·Ray Y ChenClifton E Barry
Mar 27, 2015·International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID : Official Publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases·Evangelia SkouraJamshed Bomanji
Jun 4, 2015·Tuberculosis·Padmini SalgameJerrold J Ellner
Apr 15, 2016·Clinical and Translational Imaging : Reviews in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·Alfred O AnkrahAndor W J M Glaudemans
Sep 7, 2016·Nature Medicine·Stephanus T MalherbeStephanie Griffith-Richards

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Citations

Jul 10, 2019·Journal of X-ray Science and Technology·Wei-Ye YuPu-Xuan Lu
Oct 1, 2020·Oxford Medical Case Reports·Katerina ManikaIoannis Kioumis

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
bronchoalveolar lavage
X-ray
PCR

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