Imaging spectrum and pitfalls of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with tuberculosis

• Published in: Japanese journal of radiology Vol. 31; no. 8; pp. 511 - 520
• Main Authors: Ito, Kimiteru, Morooka, Miyako, Minamimoto, Ryogo, Miyata, Yoko, Okasaki, Momoko, Kubota, Kazuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.08.2013
• Subjects: Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Humans; Imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Multimodal Imaging - methods; Nuclear Medicine; Pictorial Essay; Positron-Emission Tomography - methods; Radiology; Radiopharmaceuticals; Radiotherapy; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Whole Body Imaging - methods; Fluorodeoxyglucose; Granuloma; Tuberculoma; Tuberculosis; PET/CT
• ISSN: 1867-1071; 1867-108X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11604-013-0218-4

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prominant diseases frequently causing false positive lesions in oncologic surveys using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), since TB granulomas are composed of activated macrophages and lymphocytes with high affinity for glucose. These pitfalls of 18 F-FDG PET/CT are important for radiologists. Being familiar with 18 F-FDG images of TB could assist in preventing unfavorable clinical results based on misdiagnoses. In addition, 18 F-FDG PET/CT has the advantage of being able to screen the whole body, and can clearly detect harboring TB lesions as high uptake foci. This article details the spectrum and pitfalls of 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging in TB.