Patterns of systemic uptake of 18-FDG with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) studies in patients with presumed ocular tuberculosis.

AIM: To report the patterns and sites of 18-FDG uptake in patients of presumed ocular tuberculosis.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The clinical and investigational findings of 11 patients were reviewed retrospectively. These included 6 males and 5 females with a mean age of 46.2 years. 21 eyes were included in the data analysis. Clinical presentations include 15 eyes with anterior uveitis, 2 eyes with retinal vasculitis, 2 eyes with panuveitis and 2 eyes with multifocal choroidopathy.

RESULTS

Two distinct patterns of systemic uptake emerged. Pattern 1: No detectable systemic uptake (4 patients). Pattern 2: Detectable systemic uptake. a. Chest disease only (2 patients). b. Disseminated pattern, uptake seen at multiple sites (4 patients). c. Extrapulmonary only (1 patient).

CONCLUSIONS

Ocular tuberculosis may often be part of a wider disseminated disease.