title: 18-FDG PET/ CT Scan in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Chronic Q fever Aortic Valve Endocarditis.
abstract: Chronic Q fever endocarditis is a rare but important infection associated with risk of morbidity and mortality. Echocardiography rarely visualises the vegetative lesion. We describe the first Australian report of chronic Q fever aortic valve endocarditis confirmed with the use of 18 -FDG PET/ CT scan. Following valvular replacement, the patient had ongoing high serological titres despite active treatment and he was managed with yearly serial PET/ CT scan to confirm the absence of active infection. The utility of serial PET /CT scan imaging as a follow-up management strategy has not been described in the literature previously and should be investigated further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St John Of God Subiaco Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. Electronic address: davidchieng87@gmail.com.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chieng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St John Of God Subiaco Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St John Of God Subiaco Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Passage
authors.affiliation: Oceanic Medical Imaging, Hollywood Medical Centre, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Nat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lenzo
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019298:Glucose-6-Phosphate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011778:Q Fever / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: C047515:2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate; D019298:Glucose-6-Phosphate
keywords: 18 FDG; Coxiella; Endocarditis; Fluorodeoxyglucose; Positron Emission Topography; Q fever