18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging Findings of Leprosy

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae.
• Delayed diagnosis and treatment of leprosy can lead to poor patient outcomes.
• Accurate diagnosis of leprosy can be challenging, particularly in atypical presentations.

Observation:

• A patient presented with extensive skin infiltration and involvement of the turbinate mucosa.
• Multiple lymph nodes showed increased fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).
• The clinical and imaging findings mimicked a malignant neoplastic process.

Findings:

• The case demonstrated widespread leprosy with significant FDG avidity on PET/CT.
• The presentation mimicked malignancy due to extensive infiltration and lymph node involvement.
• PET/CT revealed increased metabolic activity in affected tissues, complicating differential diagnosis.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering leprosy in the differential diagnosis of malignancy, especially with characteristic epidemiological or clinical risk factors.
• Advanced imaging techniques like PET/CT can show increased uptake in leprosy, necessitating careful interpretation.
• Recognizing these atypical presentations is crucial for timely and appropriate leprosy treatment, preventing severe complications.