FDG-PET/CT activity leads to the diagnosis of unsuspected TB: a retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection leads to latent or active tuberculosis (TB). Increased uptake on 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) has been reported in the lungs and lymph nodes of individuals with recent infection and active TB, but not in individuals without known recent exposure or suggestive symptoms. We describe five patients with lung nodules not suspected to be due to TB in whom abnormalities on FDG-PET/CT scans ultimately were attributed to TB infection.


RESULTS
Patient records were searched using the words "positron emission tomography/computed tomography" and 24 codes for TB between 2004 and 2013. Patients with a diagnosis of TB and a PET/CT scan were included. Clinical and radiographic data were retrieved. PET/CT images were reviewed by an experienced radiologist. FDG-PET/CT scans revealed elevated FDG-uptake in lungs of five patients subsequently diagnosed with active (n = 3) or clinically inactive (n = 2) tuberculosis. Uptake magnitude was unrelated to disease activity. These findings suggest that tuberculosis latency may include periods of percolating inflammation of uncertain relationship to future disease risk.
['Geadas|Carolina|C|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9588-3675', 'Acuna-Villaorduna|Carlos|C|', 'Mercier|Gustavo|G|', 'Kleinman|Mary B|MB|', 'Horsburgh|C Robert|CR|', 'Ellner|Jerrold J|JJ|', 'Jacobson|Karen R|KR|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001900:Boston D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 D015658:HIV Infections D006801:Humans D055985:Latent Tuberculosis D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals D012189:Retrospective Studies D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Latent Imaging Risk Biomarkers Subclinical TB