FDG PET/CT in patients with HIV.

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Infectious diseases
• Oncology

Background:

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection presents complex diagnostic challenges.
• Understanding normal variant uptake of (18)F-FDG is crucial for accurate interpretation.
• FDG PET/CT offers a comprehensive imaging approach for HIV-related conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of FDG PET/CT in HIV-infected patients.
• To discuss normal variant (18)F-FDG uptake patterns.
• To highlight applications in malignancy, CNS disease, fever of unknown origin, and treatment assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on FDG PET/CT in HIV.
• Analysis of (18)F-FDG uptake patterns.
• Case examples illustrating diagnostic utility.

Main Results:

• FDG PET/CT effectively identifies malignancies in HIV patients.
• It aids in diagnosing Central Nervous System (CNS) manifestations of HIV.
• The study assesses fever of unknown origin and response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Conclusions:

• FDG PET/CT is an indispensable imaging modality for the comprehensive management of HIV-infected individuals.
• Accurate interpretation requires knowledge of normal variant (18)F-FDG uptake.
• It plays a key role in evaluating various HIV-associated complications and treatment efficacy.