(18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging in systemic lupus erythematosus related autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and lymphadenopathy.

OBJECTIVE

We present a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) related autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) and lymphadenopathy. AIHA as a serious complication of SLE, requiring urgent appropriate management. The timely differential diagnosis between SLE with lymphadenopathy and lymphoma, primary and SLE-related AIHA often looms as practical challenge under clinical scenario. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose position emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) performed for fever of a known origin and for possible malignancy, showed increased (18)F-FDG uptake in lymph nodes, as well as increased spleen uptake, which was probably due to lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONS

A symmetrically increased (18)F-FDG uptake in small lymph nodes with multiple serous cavity effusion helped the differential diagnosis between SLE related AIHA and lymphoma. In addition, PET/CT can visualize not only the degree of disease activity or the "burden of inflammation" but also the distribution of the disease in the entire body.