The role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography in the diagnosis and monitoring of large vessel vasculitides - a review article.
Mahshid Bahrami, Hossein Mohammadi, Hannaneh Mirgaloyebayat, Zahra Mohajeri, Pooya Fazeli, Azad Mojahedi, Ali Afsharirad, Reza Tavakoli Darestani, Amirhossein Sadeghian, Sayed Mohammad Amin Nourian
Abstract
In the last two decades, advancements in positron emission tomography (PET) technology have increased the diagnostic accuracy of patients with large-vessel vasculitis (LVV). Numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been conducted, and patients suspected of having LVV can be diagnosed earlier with 18F-FDG PET. Two subtypes, giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TA), will progress when their response to corticosteroids and enhanced immunosuppression is inadequate. In the majority of patients, disease activity cannot be monitored solely through laboratory procedures; consequently, glucose metabolism may be a source of potential biomarkers. In this article, we discuss the current state of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging standards.