PET/CT localizes foot infection

PET/CT has a promising role in the diagnosis of diabetic foot infections, according to cumulative data by Dr. Zohar Keidar, deputy director of nuclear medicine at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel.

Osteomyelitis complicates up to one-third of diabetic foot infections and represents a clinical challenge. It is often due to direct contamination from a soft-tissue lesion. Early diagnosis is important since antibiotic therapy can be curative and may avoid amputation. The team plans to investigate the use of FDG-labeled leukocytes with PET/CT to determine efficacy in this patient population.