Multiparametric 18F-FDG PET/MR follow-up in a patient with autoimmune pancreatitis

Isabel Rauscher; Matthias Eiber; Hana Algül; Jens T Siveke; Gregor Weirich; Anna M Schlitter; Ambros J Beer

doi:10.1186/s41824-017-0016-9

Multiparametric 18F-FDG PET/MR follow-up in a patient with autoimmune pancreatitis

Eur J Hybrid Imaging. 2017;1(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s41824-017-0016-9. Epub 2017 Nov 22.

Authors

Isabel Rauscher¹, Matthias Eiber¹, Hana Algül¹, Jens T Siveke¹, Gregor Weirich¹, Anna M Schlitter¹, Ambros J Beer¹

Affiliation

¹ Technical University of Munich Klinikum rechts der Isar, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Munich, Germany.

Abstract

Background: Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MR) is a new multimodal imaging technique, which might improve the diagnostic performance not only in oncological patients but also in patients with non-neoplastic inflammatory lesions as routinely used ¹⁸F-FDG is not a cancer specific agent.

Case presentation: Multiparametric ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MR in a woman with pain in the upper abdomen and inconclusive laboratory and clinical data presenting with moderately increased, diffuse ¹⁸F-FDG uptake with delayed contrast enhancement, diffusion-restriction and focal enlargement in the pancreatic body being suggestive for autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Follow-up ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MR after initiation of steroid therapy confirmed complete resolution of imaging abnormalities.

Conclusion: ¹⁸F-FDG PET/MR might be valuable in the management of AIP providing complementary data regarding accurate diagnosis and monitoring therapy response to avoid unnecessary surgery.