18F-FLUORODEOXYGLUCOSE POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY WITH COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LOEFFLER'S ENDOCARDITIS: A CASE REPORT

<p style="text-align: justify;">Loeffler's endocarditis (LE) is a rare form of inflammatory cardiomyopathy. The condition arises from diffuse eosinophilic infiltration of the endomyocardium, followed by eosinophil degranulation and progressive tissue fibrosis. The aim of this case report is to present a rare form of restrictive cardiomyopathy, LE, in a young female patient, and to highlight the importance of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) as a valuable diagnostic tool for accurate diagnosis, assessment of cardiac involvement, and determination of disease extent. We present the case of a female patient who underwent FDG PET/CT imaging due to suspected LE, following the detection of eosinophilia and a series of prior diagnostic procedures. FDG PET/CT contributed to the timely diagnosis and precise localization of inflammatory lesions in the cardiac walls. Based on the presented case, we conclude that FDG PET/CT imaging can serve as a helpful tool in the diagnosis and evaluation of LE due to its unique capability to visualize metabolic activity in tissues — a feature often beyond the reach of conventional diagnostic methods. This modality enables accurate identification of inflammatory lesions in the endocardium and myocardium, which are characteristic of LE.</p>