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Review
. 2021 Aug 20;10(8):1058.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens10081058.

Medical Imaging in the Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis: A Review

Andrea Cimini  1 , Maria Ricci  1 , Paola Elda Gigliotti  1 , Luca Pugliese  1   2 , Agostino Chiaravalloti  1   3 , Roberta Danieli  4 , Orazio Schillaci  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Medical Imaging in the Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis: A Review

Andrea Cimini et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases and it is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. Clinical and laboratory data are fundamental for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, but diagnostic imaging techniques such as x-rays, ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) may be helpful in the evaluation of disease severity and complications. In this context, the aim of this review is to explore the actual role of diagnostic imaging in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, underlining advantages and drawbacks providing information about the utilization of diagnostic imaging techniques in this context. Furthermore, we aim to provide a useful guide regarding imaging features of schistosomiasis for radiology and nuclear medicine physicians of non-endemic countries: in fact, in the last years non-endemic countries have experienced important flows of migrants from endemic areas, therefore it is not uncommon to face cases of this disease in daily practice.

Keywords: X-rays; computed tomography; diagnostic imaging; helminths; magnetic resonance imaging; positron emission tomography; schistosomiasis; ultrasound.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A case of Eritrean patient with chronic pulmonary schistosomiasis; axial computed tomography (CT) images showed multiple areas of consolidation in the left lung (orange arrow). A subsequent lung biopsy demonstrated parenchymal granulomas with associated schistosome eggs.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A case of pulmonary schistosomiasis evaluated with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET, image (A)) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT, image (B)): 18F-FDG PET/CT axial images showed multiple hypermetabolic areas in the left lung (orange arrow, consisting in multiple granulomas caused by the deposition of schistosome eggs) and reactive lymph-nodes with high uptake of the radiopharmaceutical in the mediastinum (blue arrow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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