Unusual synchronous liver and brain abscesses infected by rare Aerococcus viridians in a patient with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations on FDG PET/CT

RATIONALE Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) complicated with multiple organ abscesses is an uncommon manifestation. Because of the low incidence of the disease, F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) imaging studies for PAVMs complicated with multiple organ abscesses are scarce. PATIENT CONCERNS We report a case of a 54-year-old man presenting with PAVMs complicated with synchronous multiple organ abscesses founded by F-FDG PET/CT. F-FDG PET/CT revealed tortuous stripes and mass opacities with no significant FDG uptake in the left upper lung lobe. However, hypermetabolic lesions located in the anterior inferior segment of right hepatic lobe [with maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 10.7], and in the right basal ganglia with SUVmax of 14.1 were found by F-FDG PET/CT. DIAGNOSES A diagnosis of synchronous liver and brain abscesses infected by rare Aerococcus viridans was determined by tissue culture. INTERVENTIONS Vancomycin was provided intravenously, and oral linezolidate tablets were prescribed for anti-inflammatory treatment for 1 month. Liver and head magnetic resonance imaging was performed during the follow-up. OUTCOMES The lesion in the right basal ganglia was reduced, and the lesion in the right liver had disappeared, indicating the lesions were abscesses. LESSONS The present case indicated that the possibility of abscesses should be considered with patients with PAVMs, and whole-body F-FDG PET/CT is suggested to identify possible accompanying abscesses in multiple organs for PAVMs patients.