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Isolated thymic Langerhans cell histiocytosis discovered on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT)

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Abstract

The thymic infiltration in young patients with multisystemic Langerhans cell histiocytosis and its radiologic features are well known. However, isolated thymic disease has seldom been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 10-month-old child admitted for fever of unknown origin. Whole-body F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT) was performed to identify a focus of infection. It demonstrated an unusual aspect of the thymus, which led to further investigation and revealed isolated infiltration of the thymus by Langerhans cell histiocytosis. The patient was treated accordingly and is now disease free. As evaluation of Langerhans cell histiocytosis patients with F-18 FDG PET/CT is becoming more frequent, it is important to be aware of the scintigraphical characteristics of thymic Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Medicine, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, H3T 1C5, Canada

    Sophie Turpin

  2. Hemato-Oncology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada

    Anne-Sophie Carret

  3. Radiology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada

    Josée Dubois

  4. Infectious Diseases, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada

    Chantal Buteau

  5. Pathology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada

    Natalie Patey

Authors
  1. Sophie Turpin
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  2. Anne-Sophie Carret
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  3. Josée Dubois
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  4. Chantal Buteau
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  5. Natalie Patey
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Correspondence to Sophie Turpin.

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Turpin, S., Carret, AS., Dubois, J. et al. Isolated thymic Langerhans cell histiocytosis discovered on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT). Pediatr Radiol 45, 1870–1873 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-015-3409-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-015-3409-6

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