title: Usefulness of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in aortic graft infection: two cases.
abstract: Diagnosis of vascular graft prosthesis infection is crucial, but not straightforward. Here we report two cases in which [(18)F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) was very useful in the diagnosis of aortic graft infection. Case 1: A 77-year-old Japanese man, two months status post aortic arch graft surgery, suffered from repeated fevers. Blood cultures revealed bacteremia. (18)F-FDG-PET/CT ruled out graft infection and diagnosed lumbar pyogenic spondylitis, which was treated with antibiotics, sparing the patient a possible reoperation. Case 2: A 53-year-old Japanese man, seven years status post replacement of the aortic root and ascending aorta, had been suffering from an ostensibly aseptic fistula for over a year and a half. Although repeated CT findings had been negative, (18)F-FDG-PET/CT clearly demonstrated communication between the fistula and the ascending aortic graft. He was treated with repeat ascending aortic replacement, omentopexy, and antibiotics. Our experience supports (18)F-FDG-PET/CT as a promising modality in cases of suspected vascular graft infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clinical Research Institution, Kyushu Medical Center, National Hospital Organization, 1-8-1 Jigyohama, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-8563, Japan. e.tayama@kyumed.jp.
authors.forename: Eiki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tayama
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imasaka
authors.forename: Takeaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tomita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18