Lung and Nodal Involvement in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease: PET/CT Role

INTRODUCTION Systematic use of (18)F-FDG PET/CT has the potential to simultaneously assess both pulmonary and lymph node involvement in nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infection. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in the assessment of both mediastinal lymph nodes and lung involvement in NTM patients compared with active tuberculosis (TB) patients. METHODS 26 patients with pulmonary NTM disease were selected; six consecutive patients had undergone (18)F-FDG PET/CT and data was compared with 6 active TB patients. RESULTS NTM exhibited different radiological lung patterns with an average SUV max value at PET/CT scan of 3,59 ± 2,32 (range 1,14 to 9,01) on pulmonary lesions and a mean value of SUV max 1,21 ± 0,29 (range 0,90 to 1,70) on mediastinal lymph nodes. Pulmonary lesions in TB showed an average SUV max value of 10,07 ± 6,45 (range 1,20 to 22,75) whilst involved mediastinal lymph nodes exhibited a mean SUV max value of 7,23 ± 3,03 (range 1,78 to 15,72). CONCLUSIONS The differences in PET uptake in a broad range of lung lesions and lymph nodes between NTM and M. tuberculosis patients suggest a potential role for PET/CT scan in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary mycobacterial disease.