(18)F-FDG PET/CT contribution to diagnosis and treatment response of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis.

OBJECTIVE: Mucormycosis is an infection caused by mycetes mucorales, emerged as a life-threatening infection associated with severe morbidity and high mortality. Conventional imaging such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are usually performed to assess mucormycosis extension, but they may present insufficiencies in their performance.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 13 years old patient with diagnosis of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (RCM) who performed head MRI and [(18)F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) both for the infection spread assessment and for the early evaluation of response to systemic amphotericin-B treatment.

CONCLUSION: This case suggests that (18)F-FDG PET/CT could be considered as a valuable tool for the initial staging of RCM when compared with MRI and should be performed as soon as possible after the first clinical suspicion of this disease. In addition (18)F-FDG PET/CT may also be useful for the assessment of response to treatment.