18F-FDG hypermetabolism in spinal cord schistosomiasis

Abstract

A 24-year-old Saudi man presented with progressive lower-back pain for 3 months followed by lower-limb weakness, numbness, and urinary retention. Cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed high-protein, elevated white blood cell count with lymphocyte predominance. MRI scan of the spine demonstrated heterogeneously enhancing longitudinal spinal cord lesion from T6 through T9. 18FDG-PET/CT demonstrated prominently hypermetabolic lesion in the spinal cord. He had laminectomy and spinal cord (intramedullary) biopsy. Pathology revealed Schistosoma mansoni ova.