title: 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and infectious diseases: current applications and future perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography is a well-established technique for diagnosis and management of a number of neoplastic conditions. However, in recent years the body of literature regarding its potential role in infectious diseases has progressively increased, with promising results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  So far 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography has a well-established role and is recommended by guidelines only in a few settings, such as prosthetic valve endocarditis, vascular device infections, and chronic osteomyelitis. However, even the lack of large, prospective randomized trials, an increasing number of small series and case reports suggest a potential role in the diagnosis, disease staging, and monitoring of treatment response of several other infective conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this article, we summarize the available evidence and potential future applications of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: aInfectious Diseases Division, Santa Maria Misericordia University Hospital bCardiovascular Medicine Division, Santa Maria Misericordia University Hospital, Udine cNational Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani-INMI IRCCS, Rome dNuclear Medicine Division, Santa Maria Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy eDivision of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bassetti
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carnelutti
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muser
authors.forename: Elda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petrosillo
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Gregorio
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: Abass
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alavi
mesh_terms: D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18