title: Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography detects the inflammatory phase of sclerosing peritonitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the effectiveness of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in detecting inflammation in known or suspected cases of sclerosing peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook FDG-PET scanning in PD patients presenting with symptoms or signs suggestive of sclerosing peritonitis (SP), and in patients on long-term PD with no symptoms of SP.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in a PD unit in a tertiary-care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients with known or strongly suspected SP underwent FDG-PET scans, 1 within 3 months of presentation with symptoms and 2 who were scanned more than 9 months after presentation. One patient was scanned at an early and a late time point. Five patients who had been on PD for more than 5 years and who were asymptomatic also underwent FDG-PET scanning. Scans were interpreted by a specialist in nuclear medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scan performed in the early stages of SP showed increased peritoneal uptake. However, three scans taken more than 9 months after presentation with suspected SP showed mild peritoneal abnormalities only. One of 5 asymptomatic long-term PD patients showed increased peritoneal uptake associated with loss of ultrafiltration and high transporter status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG-PET scanning may be a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of the acute phase of SP. More study is needed to define its role in the diagnosis of SP in asymptomatic PD patients.
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom. r.tarzi@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tarzi
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Jeremy B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Edwina A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012598:Sclerosis
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18