1/7. Fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.We describe a case in which fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography (PET) led directly to the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis in an elderly woman with a fever of unknown origin.The patient presented with a 3-month history of fatigue, fever, headache, visual disturbance, jaw claudication, and anemia. A computed tomographic scan showed an anterior mediastinal mass that was suspected of being malignant. A fludeoxyglucose F 18 PET scan performed for preoperative evaluation identified striking uptake of fludeoxyglucose F 18 in the walls of the entire aorta, left main coronary artery, and subclavian, carotid, and common iliac arteries bilaterally, suggestive of an arteritis, a diagnosis subsequently confirmed by the findings of an arterial biopsy. Her erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 129 mm/h. There was normalizaton of the PET scan 2 weeks following treatment with prednisolone. This case suggests that fludeoxyglucose F 18 PET contributes to the noninvasive diagnosis of giant cell arteritis, as well as to the evaluation of the extent of disease, response to therapy, and disease recurrence.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/7. F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with different types of vasculitis.BACKGROUND: F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) accumulates in inflammatory cells due to an increased metabolic rate. Therefore, FDG positron emission tomography (PET) represents a promising imaging technique in patients with vasculitis. The aim of this study was to assess the value of FDG PET in the diagnosis of different types of vasculitis. methods: The results of FDG PET performed because of suspected vasculitis or fever of unknown origin with results indicating vasculitis were reviewed. These results were compared with the final diagnosis, based on the American College of rheumatology 1990 criteria. RESULTS: FDG PET was ordered because of suspected vasculitis in 20 patients, because of fever of unknown origin in two patients, and for follow-up of vasculitis in five patients. Fourteen patients were diagnosed with vasculitis (giant cell arteritis n = 5, polymyalgia rheumatica n = 2, polyarteritis nodosa n = 3, Takayasu n = 1, Churge-Strauss n = 1, Wegener's granulomatosis n = 1, vasculitis skin n = 1), two patients were diagnosed with fibromuscular dysplasia and one patient had media necrosis of the aorta. In five patients no diagnosis could be reached. FDG PET results were considered to be true-positive in ten patients, true-negative in 14 patients and false-negative in three patients resulting in a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 82%. CONCLUSIONS: FDG PET appears to be a promising new imaging technique in diagnosing and determining the extent of various forms of vasculitis. Furthermore, FDG PET may become a useful tool for evaluating the effect of treatment of vasculitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/7. Positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.This case describes how positron emission tomography (PET) led to the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis in a 50-year-old woman with fever of unknown origin. The patient presented with fever, weight loss, anemia, and headaches. She underwent multiple serologic, biopsy, and imaging tests that were inconclusive. Her sedimentation rate was 83. giant cell arteritis was suspected clinically. PET revealed diffuse abnormal F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) arterial uptake consistent with giant cell arteritis. After treatment with steroids, the patient showed prompt resolution of symptoms. A repeat PET scan showed near-complete resolution of the abnormal FDG uptake.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/7. fever of unknown origin: temporal arteritis presenting with persistent cough and elevated serum ferritin levels.BACKGROUND: fever of unknown origin (FUO) at the present time is most frequently caused by neoplasm and less commonly by infection. Currently, collagen vascular diseases (CVDs) are an uncommon cause of FUO because most are readily diagnosable by serologic methods and do not remain undiagnosed for sufficient time to present as FUOs. CVDs presenting as FUOs not readily diagnosable with specific tests include late-onset rheumatoid arthritis, adult juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica/temporal arteritis (TA). TA, or giant cell arteritis, is an uncommon arteritis of the mid- and large-sized extracranial arteries of the head and neck and is a rare cause of FUO. TA is characterized by headache, scalp tenderness, jaw pain on chewing, and sudden loss of vision. Fever, anorexia, weight loss, and night sweats may also be present. With TA, respiratory symptoms occur in 9% and are the presenting feature in 4%. Laboratory abnormalities associated with TA include a highly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, and thrombocytosis, and mildly increased alkaline phosphatase/serum transaminases. PATIENT: We present a patient with FUO caused by TA whose predominant presenting symptom was persistent cough that overshadowed head and neck symptoms of TA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of TA presenting as an FUO, with a highly elevated serum ferritin level. RESULTS: We conclude that highly elevated serum ferritin levels in patients with FUO should alert the clinician to consider TA in the differential diagnosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/7. Systemic cat scratch disease.Systemic cat scratch disease (CSD) is often associated with prolonged fever and microabscesses in the liver and/or spleen. We report a case of systemic CSD with hepatic, splenic and renal involvement in an aboriginal child in taiwan. A previously healthy 9-year-old girl had an intermittent fever for about 17 days, and complained of abdominal pain, headache and weight loss. Abdominal computed tomography showed multiple tiny hypodense nodular lesions in the spleen and both kidneys. laparotomy revealed multiple soft, whitish-tan lesions on the surface of the liver and spleen. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen of the spleen showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with central necrosis surrounded by epithelioid cells and occasional Langhans' giant cells, strongly suggestive of bartonella henselae infection. history revealed close contact with a cat. B. henselae dna was detected by polymerase chain reaction in the tissue specimen, and the single antibody titer against B. henselae was greater than 1:2048. These results confirmed the diagnosis of visceral CSD caused by B. henselae. The patient's symptoms resolved after treatment with rifampin and tetracycline. This case illustrates the need for inclusion of systemic CSD in patients with fever of unknown origin and abdominal pain.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.16666666666667keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/7. A case of giant hemangioma of the liver presenting with fever of unknown origin.A 37 year-old-woman was admitted to the hospital because of 15 days' duration of continuous fever. Routine studies for detection of fever foci were negative. Imaging studies revealed giant hemangioma of the liver with central thrombosis. The fever persisted for a period of 4 weeks, and subsided after conservative management. We report a case of hepatic hemangioma presenting with fever of unknown origin. The condition is very rare, but should be regarded as one of the causes of fever of unknown origin.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.83333333333333keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/7. giant cell arteritis manifesting as chronic cough and fever of unknown origin.A 57-year-old white man sought medical attention because of chronic cough and fever of unknown origin. An extensive work-up over 4 weeks, including repeated blood cultures, chest roentgenograms, a gallium scan, and computed tomographic scans of the sinuses, chest, and abdomen, was nondiagnostic. The patient was referred to our institution for bronchoscopy. Further analysis of his history revealed that he had a headache in conjunction with the cough and an episode of a flashing color design in his left eye 1 week before assessment. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 115 mm in 1 hour. A biopsy of the temporal artery showed granulomatous inflammation of the vessel wall with multinucleated giant cells, histiocytes, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and few eosinophils. The multinucleated giant cells were closely related to the fragmented elastic lamina. Corticosteroid therapy resulted in prompt resolution of the chronic cough and fever. Giant cell arteritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic cough.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = giant (Clic here for more details about this article) |