PET/CT helpful in diagnosing fever or inflammation of unknown origin: Study

The study enrolled 300 male and female patients with FUO/IUO. The researchers compared PET/CT findings with final clinical outcomes to determine the specificity, sensitivity, etiological distribution of final diagnoses, clinical significance, impact on treatment, the role of white-blood-cell count (WBC), and C-reactive protein (CRP). 

"F-18 FDG PET/CT is a useful method in the diagnosis of FUO. Our study clearly showed an overall high specificity and sensitivity compared to several meta-analyses," wrote the authors. "Therefore, the early use of F-18 FDG PET/CT should be considered if other diagnostic means fail." 

"The optimum timing for the performing as well as the standardization of F-18 FDG PET/CT as a first-line work-up in FUO/IUO patients however is still debatable," they concluded.

Reference:

Weitzer, F., Nazerani Hooshmand, T., Pernthaler, B. et al. Diagnostic value of F-18 FDG PET/CT in fever or inflammation of unknown origin in a large single-center retrospective study. Sci Rep 12, 1883 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05911-7