Bramwell, Joshua

Kovaleva, Natalia

Morigi, Joshua

Currie, Bart

2025-03-06

Melioidosis is an endemic tropical disease caused by . It typically causes pulmonary disease and bacteraemia but can disseminate to cause multi-organ disease. 18-F FDG PET/CT has an evolving role in diagnosing other infectious diseases, especially where the pathogen or extent of infection is challenging to elucidate clinically and with conventional imaging (CT, US and MRI). We present a case series of patients diagnosed with melioidosis who also underwent 18-F FDG PET/CT from December 18th 2018 to September 30th 2022. Indications for imaging were categorised and analysed as to whether 18-F FDG PET/CT changed management over conventional imaging. Twenty-one 18-F FDG PET/CT scans were performed for sixteen patients. Two scans (9.5%) performed for pyrexia of unknown origin changed management in both cases. Twelve scans (57.1%) performed to ascertain the extent of dissemination of melioidosis changed management in only three (25%) cases. Five scans (23.8%) performed to monitor the response to treatment of known foci changed management in all five cases. Five scans (23.8%) performed for suspected or known malignancy changed management in three (60%) cases. 18-F FDG PET/CT is an emerging tool which improves diagnosis and changes the management of melioidosis when applied judiciously and for well-selected indications.

Infectious Diseases Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia.

Infectious Diseases Department, Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia.

Division of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia.

Division of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia.

College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia.

Infectious Diseases Department, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia.

Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0811, Australia.

Trop Med Infect Dis . 2025 Mar 6;10(3):69. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed10030069.

2414-6366

0009-0009-8342-7563

0000-0002-8878-8837

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40137823/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/14218

18-F FDG PET/CT

Burkholderia pseudomallei

melioidosis

pyrexia of unknown origin

18-Fluorine-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Computer Tomography Imaging in Melioidosis: Valuable but Not Essential.

Journal Article

Publication