Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8826169 | Seminars in Nuclear Medicine | 2018 | 26 Pages |
Abstract
Cardiovascular infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis is crucial for adequate patient management, as early treatment improves the prognosis. The diagnosis cannot be made on the basis of a single symptom, sign, or diagnostic test. Rather, the diagnosis requires a multidisciplinary discussion in addition to the integration of clinical signs, microbiology data, and imaging data. The application of multimodality imaging, including molecular imaging techniques, has improved the sensitivity to detect infections involving heart valves and vessels and implanted cardiovascular devices while also allowing for early detection of septic emboli and metastatic infections before these become clinically apparent. In this review, we describe data supporting the use of a Multimodality, Multitracer, and Multidisciplinary approach (the 3M approach) to cardiovascular infections. In particular, the role of white blood cell SPECT/CT and [18F]FDG PET/CT in most prevalent and clinically relevant cardiovascular infections will be discussed. In addition, the needs of advanced hybrid equipment, dedicated imaging acquisition protocols, specific expertise for image reading, and interpretation in this field are discussed, emphasizing the need for a specific reference framework within a Cardiovascular Multidisciplinary Team Approach to select the best test or combination of tests for each specific clinical situation.
Related Topics
Health Sciences
Medicine and Dentistry
Radiology and Imaging
Authors
Martina MD, Raffaella MD, Roberto C. Delgado Bolton, Alexia MD, PhD, Margarita MD, Roberto MD, Elena MD, PhD, Riemer MD, PhD, Paola Anna MD, PhD,