Left ventricular assist device infection
Case submitted by Nazim Coskun
25-year-old male
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Selected slices showing multifocal FDG uptake around the pump and the driveline.
Case Notes
- 18F-FDG PET/CT is useful for evaluation LVAD-specific infections particularly in patients whom CT or echocardiography are non-diagnostic.
- A pooled analysis of 10 studies reported the sensitivity and specificity of PET as 95% and 91%, respectively .
- Driveline is the most frequent site of infection, followed by the pump and the cannula. It should be kept in mind that reactive uptake around the LVAD compponents can persist for months after LVAD implantation and must be evaluated within the clinical context.
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Components of a typical left-ventricular assist device. Image reproduced with permission from Thoratec Corp.
Updated on Apr 18, 2024
