ABSTRACT
Diagnostic workup of patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a challenge. The spectrum of diseases traditionally recognized as the causes of FUO are infectious, malignant, inflammatory, and undetermined. A good history and physical examination, and appropriate laboratory testing, are paramount in the assessment of FUO. Deciding on the most appropriate imaging test or tests will be based on one’s clinical suspicion. With many different imaging modalities available to clinicians for the workup of FUO, it is useful to know about the different imaging studies available. The literature regarding FUO and computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) is limited. There are very few prospective trials comparing the usefulness and accuracy of these imaging modalities (e.g., whole body MRI versus PET, or whole body CT versus MRI, or any of these techniques compared with more traditional nuclear medicine techniques). In this chapter, we discuss the usefulness of nuclear medicine, CT, ultrasonography, MRI, and PET in the evaluation of patients with FUO.
