Focal splenic FDG uptake in a patient with Kala-Azar (visceral leishmaniasis)

Clin Nucl Med. 2014 Apr;39(4):387-90. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000000369.

Abstract

We present a woman with a history of Gaucher disease and secondary portal hypertension. She went to hospital for treatment of resistant fever without apparent cause. A conventional study of fever of unknown origin did not show any pathology. For this reason, she was referred to our department for a PET/CT, which did not demonstrate a cause for the fever. Two months after, she was admitted again in hospital for fever recurrence. A new PET/CT showed FDG avid hypodense splenic lesions, suspicious for infection. Splenectomy was performed and histopathologic analysis demonstrated intracellular organisms compatible with Leishmania.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biological Transport
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / diagnostic imaging
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / metabolism*
  • Multimodal Imaging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Spleen / diagnostic imaging
  • Spleen / metabolism*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18