18F-FDG PET and combined diffusion weighted MRI features in pleural infection: A case report

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been used as problem-solving modalities in cases of infectious or inflammatory diseases or primary or secondary malignancies. The author report a case of incidentally detected pleural infection in a 73-year-old male patient with lung cancer. The patient underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT for initial staging, and primary, right upper lung cancer and a right lower pleural FDG avid lesion were visualized. Additional F-18 FDG positron emission tomography/ magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MR) was performed to achieve a differential diagnosis, and eventually, a diagnosis of primary lung cancer and pleural infection was reached. Follow up PET/CT demonstrated improvement of the lung cancer and pleural infection after radiotherapy and antibiotic administration. Here, the author present the PET and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) findings of pleural infection. Combined hybrid PET/MR scanner might have aided the differential diagnosis of infection and malignancy.