Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is a zoonosis in children, result of infection by Bartonella henselae, a gram-negative bacillus. Infection is generally characterized by regional and self-limited lymphadenopathy after exposure to a scratch or bite from a cat. Rarely, B. henselae is cause of fever of unknown origin (FUO), with dissemination to various organs, most often involving the reticuloendothelial system (liver, spleen, bone marrow), mimicking an inflammatory rather than a lymphoproliferative disease. Whole-body Magnetic Resonance Imaging (WBMRI), in association with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWIBS), allows a comprehensive evaluation of pediatric patients, without the risks inherent to ionizing radiation. It is a rapid and sensitive method for detecting and monitoring multifocal lesions such as proliferative or inflammatory and infectious processes. We report a case of systemic CDS in an immunocompetent young boy with fever of unknown origin, without history of cat contact, investigated by WBMRI.
Keywords: Bartonella henselae; Cat scratch disease; DWIBS; Pediatrics; Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging.