Journal
ASAIO JOURNAL
Volume 61, Issue 1, Pages E5-E10Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000000167
Keywords
gallium; LVAD; infection
Categories
Funding
- Geographic Medicine and Emerging Infections National Institutes of Health (NIH) [T32 AI070117]
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Infection remains a well-established complication after the placement of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Defining the extent of infection is a challenging task as there are few effective imaging modalities and no standardized guidelines regarding imaging in the diagnosis of device-related infections (DRIs). The use of gallium with single photon emission tomography-computed tomography (Ga-SPECT-CT) has not been previously reported in localizing DRIs. We reviewed the charts and images of five patients with LVADs who underwent Ga-SPECT-CT for the diagnosis of various types of DRIs. Gallium SPECT-CT further clarified the extent of infections among LVAD patients, allowing for patient-specific tailored treatments including surgical debridement. Gallium SPECT-CT is a useful tool when diagnosing LVAD infections and could potentially be the imaging modality of choice in the near future. With improved imaging studies, such as GaSPECT-CT, allowing for earlier and more accurate diagnoses of DRIs, the outcome of such infections is likely to improve.
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