Role of FDG PET in Fungal Infections

Fungal infections are increasingly common in immunocompromised, diabetic, critically ill, transplant, and patients with cancer, where they contribute to substantial morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is often difficult because symptoms are nonspecific, microbiological tests may be delayed or negative, and tissue sampling is not always feasible. While computed tomography (CT), MR imaging, and ultrasonography are essential, they may underestimate disease extent or fail to distinguish active infection from residual changes. F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT offers whole-body metabolic assessment, enabling detection of occult lesions, evaluation of disease burden, biopsy guidance, treatment monitoring, and identification of recurrence.