The use of positron emission tomography with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose for the diagnosis of vascular graft infection.
Vascular graft infection is associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Diagnosis is difficult, as there is no single diagnostic criterion that has a 100% accuracy. A combination of physical examination, laboratory tests, and several imaging techniques is mandatory. Beside a wide range of indications in the oncological field, positron emission tomography with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) has a well-known role in the diagnosis of bone and soft-tissue infections. Some authors have recently reported on the potential use of FDG-PET in the diagnosis of vascular graft infections. The aim of this study is to review personal experience. Five consecutive patients with a suspected prosthetic infection (1 aortobifemoral bypass, 3 femoropopliteal bypasses, and 1 femorofemoral bypass) underwent FDG-PET. All prostheses showed a moderate or intense FDG tracer uptake. All 3 patients with an intense FDG uptake proved to have a prosthetic infection (based on microbiologic examination). These preliminary results suggest that FDG-PET might be an interesting tool to confirm vascular graft infection.
Lauwers
Patrick
P
Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium. patrick.lauwers@uza.be
Van den Broeck
Sylvie
S
Carp
Laurens
L
Hendriks
Jeroen
J
Van Schil
Paul
P
Blockx
Pierre
P
D000368:Aged; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18