Unexplained fever in children — Benefits and challenges of FDG-PET/CT

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  • Nygaard, Ulrikka
  • Laerke Vinge Larsen
  • Nadja Hawwa Vissing
  • Marie-Louise von Linstow
  • Charlotte Myrup
  • Anne Kiil Berthelsen
  • Anja Poulsen
  • Lise Borgwardt

Aim: To explore [fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron-emission-tomography/computed tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) in patients where standard investigations were non-diagnostic. Methods: We reviewed medical records of previously healthy children who had 18FDG-PET/CT performed at Copenhagen University Hospital in 2015–2020 due to unexplained fever. Results: Thirty-five of 819 paediatric 18FDG-PET/CT were performed due to unexplained fever. The final diagnoses were malignancy (11%), infections (23%), inflammatory diseases (43%) and miscellaneous (26%). 18FDG-PET/CT was diagnostic in six cases with Takayasu's arteritis, tuberculosis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis and Ewing sarcoma. Sixteen cases had focal 18FDG-uptake, but 18FDG-PET/CT could only differentiate malignancy, infection and inflammation in three cases. In six cases with inflammatory diseases and no focal signs, PET/CT was normal except increased non-specific 18FDG-uptake in bone marrow and spleen in five cases. One case was false positive (suspicion of appendicitis) and two false negative (leukaemia and inflammatory disease). Conclusion: 18FDG-PET/CT was diagnostic, or contributed to the diagnosis, in several children with unexplained fever referred to a tertiary centre. Challenges comprised (i) only increased non-specific 18FDG-uptake in bone marrow and spleen in half of cases with inflammatory diseases, (ii) no differentiation between complicated infections, malignancy and inflammation in most cases with focal processes and (iii) a small risk of false positive and false negative results.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Pædiatrica
Volume111
Issue number11
Pages (from-to)2203-2209
Number of pages7
ISSN0803-5253
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

    Research areas

  • FUO, paediatric infectious diseases, persistent fever, PET-CT

ID: 324127227