With this in mind, researchers from the Department of Radiology, National Cardiovascular Center in Suita, Osaka, Japan, assessed the ability of positron emission tomography (PET) to differentiate between an infected and non-infected vascular graft. The ability to differentiate between the two is critical to making the right choice for treatment.
The study imaged 15 patients, some with suspected infected grafts and others with stable, non-infected grafts. The diagnoses based on PET and the final diagnoses based on surgical or clinical examinations were compared. The results confirmed that PET could accurately identify patients who needed treatment for graft infection.
According to Kazuki Fukuchi, MD, of Osaka, Japan, "Infection of vascular prosthetic grafts remains a major surgical challenge since it can be reduced, but not eradicated, by avoiding risk factors and by applying antibiotic therapy." PET studies appear to accurately, safely, and specifically diagnose graft infection. The team presented the results of their study at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's 51st Annual Conference.
The Society of Nuclear Medicine is holding its 51st Annual Meeting June 19–23, 2004, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia. Hot topics for the 2004 meeting include techniques for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; advanced imaging for the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancer; nuclear cardiology; and the collaboration between nuclear medicine and bioengineering in the fight against cancer.