Diffuse 18F-FDG Muscle Uptake in Trichinella spiralis Infection

Clin Nucl Med. 2016 Jan;41(1):55-6. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000000933.

Abstract

Two patients were referred to our emergency department with myalgia, fever, general malaise, eosinophilia, and elevated serum levels of creatine kinase and troponin T. 18F-FDG PET/CT scan was performed showing a diffuse and homogenous moderately elevated glucose uptake in all muscle groups. Trichinella spiralis infection was confirmed by a muscle biopsy and detection of trichinella antibodies. The muscle biopsy was taken in the left quadriceps because of equal involvement of the skeletal muscles. The differential diagnosis of diffuse 18F-FDG muscle uptake should include trichinella infection, in particular, in the presence of infectious symptoms, eosinophilia, and biochemical signs of muscle damage.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • Diffusion
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Multimodal Imaging
  • Muscle, Skeletal / diagnostic imaging
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Trichinella spiralis / physiology*
  • Trichinellosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Trichinellosis / metabolism*
  • Trichinellosis / pathology

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18