Is there a role for fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography in evaluating patients with mycobacteriosis? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to review the emerging role of fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) CT/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with mycobacteriosis.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search of published studies through October 2010 in PubMed/MEDLINE database regarding ¹⁸F-FDG-PET and PET/CT in patients with mycobacteriosis was performed.

RESULTS

Ultimately, we identified 16 studies comprising a total of 220 patients with mycobacteriosis. Main findings of the included studies are presented.

CONCLUSIONS

(1) Mycobacteriosis commonly causes increased ¹⁸F-FDG uptake; therefore, positive ¹⁸F-FDG-PET results should be interpreted with caution in differentiating benign from malignant abnormalities. (2) ¹⁸F-FDG-PET and PET/CT are potentially useful in detecting sites of Mycobacterium infection. (3) Dual-phase ¹⁸F-FDG-PET is not useful for the differential diagnosis between malignant lesions and sites of Mycobacterium infection. (4) ¹⁸F-FDG-PET and PET/CT are useful for the evaluation of disease activity and in monitoring response to therapy in patients with mycobacteriosis. (5) Dual-tracer PET and PET/CT are potentially useful for presumptive diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules.