title: Applications of PET and PET/CT in the Evaluation of Infection and Inflammation in the Skeletal System.
abstract: Unlike anatomic imaging modalities, which mainly detect structural changes, positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular imaging technique able to detect the disease in an early stage and long before anatomic changes are visible. It is well known that fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) accumulates at the sites of various inflammatory and infectious processes. FDG-PET or FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) has been successfully used in the evaluation of various nonosseous soft tissue infections. Its application in the evaluation of osseous infection is also promising. This review discusses the potential roles of PET or PET/CT in the evaluation of infection and inflammation in the skeletal system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th and Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Liège, Sart Tilman B35, Liège 4000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pacôme
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fosse
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th and Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Hongming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Liège, Sart Tilman B35, Liège 4000, Belgium. Electronic address: rhustinx@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hustinx
keywords: Chronic osteomyelitis; Inflammation; PET/CT; Skeletal infection