[18F]FDG PET/CT in cardiovascular infections: a practical approach

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cardiovascular infections, including infective endocarditis (IE) and cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections, present significant diagnostic challenges.
• Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial due to the high mortality associated with these infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the epidemiology and clinical presentation of IE and CIED infections.
• To highlight the indications and diagnostic role of [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([¹⁸F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).
• To discuss interpretation criteria and present clinical cases using [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT for cardiovascular infections.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on cardiovascular infections and [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT.
• Presentation of illustrative clinical cases involving IE and CIED infections.
• Discussion of diagnostic criteria and interpretation guidelines for [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT.

Main Results:

• [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT is a valuable tool for diagnosing challenging cardiovascular infections.
• The modality demonstrates incremental diagnostic value in cases where conventional methods are inconclusive.
• Specific interpretation criteria are essential for accurate diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis and CIED infections.
• Understanding the indications and interpretation of [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT is vital for effective patient management.
• This imaging modality improves diagnostic confidence in complex cardiovascular infection cases.