title: (18)F-FDG PET/CT in differentiating acute tuberculous from idiopathic pericarditis: preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the diagnostic capability of F-FDG PET/CT in differentiating acute tuberculous from idiopathic pericarditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  FDG PET/CT findings were reviewed in 15 patients with acute tuberculous (n = 5) or idiopathic pericarditis (n = 10). The maximal thickness and SUVmax of the pericardium and the number, size, and SUVmax of the mediastinal and supraclavicular lymph nodes with increased FDG uptake were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had small-to-large amount of pericardial effusion. The patients with acute tuberculous pericarditis (n = 5) showed diffuse (n = 3) or multifocal (n = 2) FDG uptake in the pericardia. The patients with acute idiopathic pericarditis (n = 10) showed diffuse (n = 6) or regional (n = 4) FDG uptake in the pericardia. The mean (SD) pericardial thickness and SUVmax of acute tuberculous pericarditis were significantly higher than those of acute idiopathic pericarditis (5.1 [1.0] vs 3.4 [0.9], P < 0.05; 13.5 [3.9] vs 3.0 [0.7], P < 0.05, respectively). A total of 69 mediastinal and supraclavicular lymph nodes with increased FDG uptake were observed in all 15 patients (44 in patients with acute tuberculous pericarditis and 25 in patients with acute idiopathic pericarditis). The mean (SD) SUVmax of mediastinal and supraclavicular lymph nodes of acute tuberculous pericarditis (5.3 [1.8]) was significantly higher than that of acute idiopathic pericarditis (2.8 [0.6], P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean size of the mediastinal and supraclavicular lymph nodes between acute tuberculous and idiopathic pericarditis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The degrees of FDG uptake in the pericardium and the mediastinal and supraclavicular lymph nodes are useful for differentiating acute tuberculous from idiopathic pericarditis. Familiarity with the FDG uptake patterns of acute tuberculous and idiopathic pericarditis may be helpful for successful (especially timely) diagnosis and treatment.
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Aisheng
authors: A
authors: Dong
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Dong
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Cheng
authors: Changjing
authors: C
authors: Zuo
authors: Jianping
authors: J
authors: Lu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D010495:Pericarditis, Tuberculous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18