Diagnosis of an intestinal mucormycosis ‘fungus ball’ located with PET/CT with [18F] FDG-PET/CT

• Published in: European journal of hybrid imaging Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 1 - 4
• Main Authors: Gallo, Franklin, Vija, Lavinia, Le Grand, Sophie, Moukarbel, Nada, Mortele, Koen, Gabiache, Erwan, Courbon, Frédéric, Tavitian, Suzanne, Dierickx, Lawrence O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 12.12.2019; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Case Report; FDG; Fungal infection; Fungal infections; Fungi; Imaging; Intestinal mucormycosis; Medical diagnosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nuclear Medicine; PET/CT; Positron emission tomography; Radiology; FDG; Intestinal mucormycosis; Fungal infection; PET/CT
• ISSN: 2510-3636; 2510-3636
• DOI: 10.1186/s41824-019-0068-0

Mucormycosis is a life-threatening infection with most commonly rhino-orbital-cerebral and pulmonary syndromes that mostly occurs in immunocompromised patients. FDG-PET/CT emerged as a sensitive non-invasive tool to identify systemic mucormycosis. We present a 59-year-old woman for whom a PET/CT with 18 F-FDG was performed in search of a primary location of mucormycosis with non-contributive conventional workup. A large left abdominal mass was seen, compatible with a fungus ball, with intense parietal uptake and without any central uptake. The localization of the infection provided a target for surgery and permitted to adapt the therapeutic strategy. After resection, the final diagnosis was consistent with mucormycosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a PET/CT image with FDG showing an intestinal fungus ball. PET/CT with 18 F-FDG may contribute to the management of patients with fungal infections of unknown origin.