The value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the diagnosis and evaluation of TAFRO syndrome: a review of cases and literature

AIM This retrospective case series intends to summarise the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) imaging characteristics of TAFRO syndrome, providing imaging evidence for its clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis to enhance early diagnostic accuracy and improve patient prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on the 18F-FDG PET/CT images and clinical data of 5 patients with TAFRO syndrome (3 males and 2 females, with an average age of 51.4 (39-58) years). Combined with domestic and international literature, the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis and evaluation of TAFRO syndrome was summarised. RESULTS All the cases were diagnosed as multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) and all showed typical imaging manifestations of TAFRO syndrome. The size of the affected lymph nodes and the maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) of the patients were measured. It was found that all showed varying degrees of enlargement accompanied by increased 18F-FDG metabolism (SUVmax > 2.5). In addition, spleen length was measured in the craniocaudal dimension for all patients and it was found that 2 patients had significant enlargement. Based on the analysis of the PET/CT images of the patients, the bone marrow showed varying degrees of metabolic activity, and pleural effusions and ascites were clearly identifiable. CONCLUSION 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, as a functional metabolic imaging technique, can detect metabolic abnormalities at the sub-centimetre level. Moreover, a single examination can cover the entire body, enabling better detection of occult lesions and providing significant assistance in the diagnosis and assessment of TAFRO syndrome.