Author/Authors :
Salomäki, Soile P Department of Infectious Diseases - Division of Medicine - Turku University Hospital - Turku, Finland , Kemppainen, Jukka University of Turku - Turku, Finland , Hohenthal, Ulla Department of Infectious Diseases - Division of Medicine - Turku University Hospital - Turku, Finland , Luoto, Pauliina University of Turku - Turku, Finland , Eskola, Olli University of Turku - Turku, Finland , Nuutila, Pirjo University of Turku - Turku, Finland , Seppänen, Marko University of Turku - Turku, Finland , Pirilä, Laura Department of Rheumatology - Division of Medicine - Turku University Hospital - Turku, Finland , Oksi, Jarmo Department of Infectious Diseases - Division of Medicine - Turku University Hospital - Turku, Finland , Roivainen, Anne University of Turku - Turku, Finland
Abstract :
This study evaluated the potential of 68Ga-citrate positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for
the detection of infectious foci in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia by comparing it with 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-𝐷-
glucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT. Methods. Four patients admitted to hospital due to S. aureus bacteraemia underwent both 18F-FDG
and 68Ga-citrate whole-body PET/CT scans to detect infectious foci. Results. The time from hospital admission and the initiation
of antibiotic treatment to the first PET/CT was 4–10 days. The time interval between 18F-FDG and 68Ga-citrate PET/CT was 1–4
days. Three patients had vertebral osteomyelitis (spondylodiscitis) and one had osteomyelitis in the toe; these were detected by both
18F-FDG (maximum standardised uptake value [SUVmax] 6.0 ± 1.0) and 68Ga-citrate (SUVmax 6.8 ± 3.5, 𝑃 = 0.61). Three patients
had soft tissue infectious foci, with more intense 18F-FDG uptake (SUVmax 6.5 ± 2.5) than 68Ga-citrate uptake (SUVmax 3.9 ± 1.2,
𝑃 = 0.0033). Conclusions. Our small cohort of patients with S. aureus bacteraemia revealed that 68Ga-citrate PET/CT is comparable
to 18F-FDG PET/CT for detection of osteomyelitis, whereas 18F-FDG resulted in a higher signal for the detection of soft tissue
infectious foci.
