title: Lung and Nodal Involvement in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease: PET/CT Role.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systematic use of (18)F-FDG PET/CT has the potential to simultaneously assess both pulmonary and lymph node involvement in nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the assessment of both mediastinal lymph nodes and lung involvement in NTM patients compared with active tuberculosis (TB) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  26 patients with pulmonary NTM disease were selected; six consecutive patients had undergone (18)F-FDG PET/CT and data was compared with 6 active TB patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NTM exhibited different radiological lung patterns with an average SUV max value at PET/CT scan of 3,59 ± 2,32 (range 1,14 to 9,01) on pulmonary lesions and a mean value of SUV max 1,21 ± 0,29 (range 0,90 to 1,70) on mediastinal lymph nodes. Pulmonary lesions in TB showed an average SUV max value of 10,07 ± 6,45 (range 1,20 to 22,75) whilst involved mediastinal lymph nodes exhibited a mean SUV max value of 7,23 ± 3,03 (range 1,78 to 15,72).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differences in PET uptake in a broad range of lung lesions and lymph nodes between NTM and M. tuberculosis patients suggest a potential role for PET/CT scan in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary mycobacterial disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Respiratory Sciences, Second University of Naples, "dei Colli" Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Ginevra
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Giudice
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Via Giovanni Paolo II, Loc. Tappino, 86100 Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Respiratory Sciences, Second University of Naples, "dei Colli" Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cennamo
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Pathology and Microbiology, Section of Mycobacteriology, "dei Colli" Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Section of Nuclear Medicine, "dei Colli" Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bifulco
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Respiratory Sciences, Second University of Naples, "dei Colli" Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Respiratory Sciences, Second University of Naples, "dei Colli" Hospital, Via Leonardo Bianchi, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzarella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011859:Radiography