Vol.23 No.3

Case Report

Magnetic resonance imaging can detect thoracic inflammation due to familial Mediterranean fever

Authors

Takashi Ishiguro1 , Noboru Takayanagi1 , Kenji Kobayashi1 , Kiyoshi Migita2 , Tsutomu Yanagisawa1 , Toshiko Hoshi3 , Yutaka Sugita1

  • Department of Respiratory Medicine, Saitama Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center, 1696 Itai, Kumagaya Saitama, 360-0905, Japan
  • Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization, Nagasaki Medical Center, Omura, Japan
  • Department of Radiology, Saitama Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center, 1696 Itai, Kumagaya Saitama, 360-0905, Japan
Received:

16 June 2011

Accepted:

31 May 2012

Published online:

6 July 2012

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Abstract

A 32-year-old man presented to our hospital complaining of periodic fever and unilateral chest pain. We suspected that he had familial Mediterranean fever because of his symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an increased intensity within the anterior chest wall, which was consistent with the site of his pain. Genomic analysis showed the patient to be heterozygous for the E148Q/M694I mutation in the MEFV gene, and we diagnosed familial Mediterranean fever. The ability of MRI to detect inflammatory changes could provide useful additional information for evaluating thoracic symptoms in FMF patients, and the detection of inflammatory changes using MRI may aid in early diagnosis, thus contributing to early and adequate treatment.

Key words

Familial Mediterranean fever, Magnetic resonance imaging, Chest pain, Pleuritis