Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography detects the inflammatory phase of sclerosing peritonitis.
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.
Tarzi
Ruth M
RM
Renal Unit, Charing Cross Hospital, London, United Kingdom. r.tarzi@imperial.ac.uk
Frank
John W
JW
Ahmad
Sohail
S
Levy
Jeremy B
JB
Brown
Edwina A
EA
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
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18