Added value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing infected hip prosthesis

BackgroundThe diagnosis of infected hip prosthesis is frequently not straightforward yet very important as it changes treatment.PurposeTo retrospectively investigate the added value of 18F-FDG PET/CT to conventional tests including radiography, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)/C-reactive protein (CRP) testing, and joint aspiration, in diagnosing infected hip prosthesis.Material and MethodsSeventy-eight hip prostheses of 78 patients (55% men; mean age = 66.5 years; age range = 30–85 years) with non-specific clinical presentation, i.e. no abscess or sinus tract communicating with the joint space at clinical examination, were analyzed. Cultures of intra-articular fluid and peri-implant tissues after revision surgery or clinical follow-up ≥6 months served as gold standard. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of radiography, ESR/CRP testing, aspiration culture, and white blood cell (WBC) count without and with the addition of 18F-FDG PET/CT were compared.ResultsThe addition of 1...