Relapsing Polychondritis The Oto-Rhino-Tracheobronchial Triad on 18F-FDG PET/CT

We present a 54-year-old woman with 3-month history of skin rash and bilateral hearing loss. Multiple investigations including biopsy failed to reveal the underlying diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis, until F-18-FDG PET/CT demonstrated a characteristic FDG activity pattern-the oto-rhino-tracheobronchial triad. The patient was subsequently diagnosed to have relapsing polychondritis and received treatment. The second FDG PET/CT revealed a differential response in different disease sites, which prompted an escalation of treatment.

Automated summary

In this report, a 54-year-old woman with a 3-month history of skin rash and bilateral hearing loss is presented. Multiple investigations failed to diagnose relapsing polychondritis, until F-18-FDG PET/CT showed a characteristic FDG activity pattern-the oto-rhino-tracheobronchial triad. The patient was subsequently diagnosed and treated for relapsing polychondritis. The second FDG PET/CT revealed differential response in different disease sites, leading to an escalation of treatment.