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Detection of infectious colitis by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in a child receiving intensive care after cardiac surgery

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Abstract

Pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) and suspected focal infection/inflammation are challenging medical problems. Nuclear medicine methods using scintigraphy with 111In- or 99mTc-labelled antibodies or 67Ga-citrate have been validated for the diagnosis and detection of inflammatory processes. Recently, positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has been described as a promising imaging method, especially for PUO. We report the use of FDG-PET in an 18-month-old boy that revealed unexpected infectious colitis after cardiac surgery. This case suggests that FDG-PET is a valuable tool for the detection of unknown inflammatory foci in childhood, especially when the time needed for examination and radiation exposure are to be considered.

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Correspondence to Juri Ruf.

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Ruf, J., Griebenow, B., Stiller, B. et al. Detection of infectious colitis by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in a child receiving intensive care after cardiac surgery. Pediatr Radiol 35, 702–705 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-005-1404-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-005-1404-z

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