title: Diagnostic value of F-18 FDG PET/CT in patients with spondylodiscitis: Is dual time point imaging time worthy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the value of FDG-PET/CT in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis (SD), the significance of dual time point imaging (DTPI) for SD diagnosis and the worth of SUVmax data for distinguishing tuberculous vs. non-tuberculous SD.
  
  
  METHODS
  32 patients with suspected SD were scanned with FDG-PET/CT. For quantitative analysis maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the lesion area was measured. Nineteen patients had DTPI of FDG-PET/CT. The final diagnoses were achieved by histopathological, microbiological, and clinical results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific pathogens were isolated in 21 patients; other patients were accepted as nonspecific bacterial SD. In all patients, FDG-PET/CT results were compatible with SD diagnosis. The SUVmax data for tuberculous and non-tuberculous SD and DTPI results were statistically insignificant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG-PET/CT is a successful modality for SD diagnosis; additionally, DTPI protocol for FDG-PET/CT in SD diagnosis and SUVmax data for differentiation between non-tbc SD and tbc SD are useless.
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: drburcak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Burcak Yilmaz
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cetin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Onsel
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kerim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonmezoglu
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Resat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozaras
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halac
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fehmi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tabak
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sager
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bilgul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mete
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sayman
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bedii
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kanmaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015299:Discitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Dual time; FDG; PET/CT; Spondylodiscitis; Tuberculosis