The medical landscape has been fast-evolving for a while now. With several advancements, also come the rare and undiagnosable questions that leave a way to find answers. Out of the many undetectable cases of illness is the Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO). This has remained a hurdle posing confusion among doctors on how to proceed with the treatment. Simple diagnostic tools like PET Scan in Bangalore cannot obtain 100% precise reasons. Instead, much more advanced facilities like PET/CT Scan in Bangalore can help to not only find the root cause of the fever but also focus towards timely management of the condition. In this blog, we will explore how a PET/CT scan can be the most helpful tool in diagnosing FUO with the help of some case studies.
Understanding Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO)
This fever is unlike other sorts of fever. It is usually presented with a persistent fever around 38.3 degrees Celsius or sometimes even higher, without any known cause even unidentified through a proper medical check. This requires an advanced approach as FUO includes a wide range of conditions, spanning from infections to inflammations to neoplasms. Identifying the root cause and arriving at a distinct conclusion requires a deeper insight, mostly provided by PET/CT Scan in Bangalore, quite known for the multilevel precision it offers which is overlooked by simpler diagnostic modalities.
Leveraging PET/CT Scan in Bangalore for Hidden Pathologies
PET/CT imaging is one of the only methods of identifying and management of the FUO. At Kiran PET/CT Centre, the speciality is in using PET/CT with F18 FDG radiopharmaceuticals to understand FUO on a deeper level.
- The Root Cause of Fever:
The fever can be presented due to several underlying factors, and the cases we received at our centre have at certain times unfolded a serious root cause, hard to ignore.
Case Study1: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
The patient visited the centre with persistent fever, sweaty nights and swollen lymph nodes. The underlying issue was unidentifiable with regular initial examination. An extensive PET/CT Scan in Bangalore arrived at lymphadenopathy and hypermetabolic splenomegaly. To further narrow down the diagnosis, a biopsy was made to confirm Hodgkin’s lymphoma, suggesting towards immediate care and relevant treatment.
Case Study 2: Takayasu Arteritis
The patient reported recurring fevers, loss of weight and diminishing radial pulse. Simpler scans like PET Scan in Bangalore were not able to arrive at a specific conclusion on the root cause. However, once an advanced imaging technology like PET/CT scan was made, excessive metabolic activity in the thoracic aorta and subclavian arteries was observed. This observation was pinpointed towards Takayasu arteritis, paving the way towards timely treatment plans.
- Identifying the specific regions of Hypermetabolism:
Heightened metabolism of a certain component often has an underlying cause of infection, malignancy or inflammation. Thus, a PET/CT scan in Bangalore can help in an in-depth analysis to identify cases of hypermetabolism.
Case Study 3: Pediatric Osteomyelitis
A young patient reported continuous bouts of fever, myalgia and bone tenderness in specific areas. A PET/CT scan exposed certain hypermetabolic lesions in the spine and pelvic region. This led to targeted antibiotic therapy and further narrowed down to arrive at Staphylococcus aureus infection.
- Tracking treatment response
Along with timely diagnosis and treatment cues, as discussed earlier, a PET/CT scan also helps in understanding the effectiveness of the suggested treatment.
Case Study 4: Pott’s Spine
On a confirmed diagnosis of Pott’s Spine, Antitubular Therapy (ATT) was suggested to the patient. Persistent PET/CT scan in Bangalore helped to successfully track the progressive reduction of damage in specific vertebral regions, indicating the success of the treatment.
Radiopharmaceuticals aiding PET/CT Scan in Bangalore:
- Galium-68 DOTATE: Effective for the detection of neuroendocrine tumours. This aids a scan in pinpointing the location and type of lesions.
- F18 FDG-labeled leukocyte scans, Ga-67 citrate (SPECT), and Tc-99m labelled WBC (SPECT) are some other radiopharmaceuticals when coupled with PET/CT can increase the precision and efficacy of diagnosis by multi-folds.
Conclusion
Managing cases of Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO) is still not an easy process at many medical facilities as they are presented with layers of complications and require an approach from multiple angles. When neuroimaging experts and the marvel of advanced diagnostic tools like PET/CT scan in Bangalore join hands together, a shift of success in diagnosis and treatment plans is recorded. Kiran PET/CT leads the way in this possibility, housing top-notch PET/CT imaging services along with other modalities like PET scan in Bangalore. Our team of professional experts in the field with state-of-the-art imaging technology together are here to transform the healthcare landscape. Our centre prides itself on personalised care and support along with a commitment to precision and excellence in healthcare.
