Publication details
18F-FDG PET a PET/CT vyšetření u pacientů s obrovskobuněčnou arteritidou - praktický pohled z PET centra
| Title in English | 18F-FDG PET and PET/CT examination in patients with giant cell arteritis - a practical view from a PET center |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2014 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Česká revmatologie |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Other medical specializations |
| Keywords | Giant cell arteritis; temporal ateritis; large vessel vasculitis; PET; PET/CT |
| Description | Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis of large arteries, which affects older people, more frequently women. Febrile illness with elevation of nonspecific laboratory markers of inflammation (ESR, CRP) may be the first symptom of this disease. In such a condition an FDG PET (PET/CT) examination can be performed due to a wider differential diagnosis. Findings of high FDG uptake in the aorta and large arteries, especially those originating from the aortic arch, are relatively uniform and typical of GCA, even at a stage when structural changes of the arteries have not developed yet. Involvement of temporal artery can be visualized using hybrid PET/CT scanners, yet rather in isolated cases. FDG uptake in the walls of large arteries can be also used to assess the disease activity (both remission and possible relapse), furthermore, this finding correlates with laboratory evidence of disease activity (ESR, CRP). Although PET (PET/CT) examination is frequently used for primary diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity, these examinations are not considered standard. Herein, we present 4 patients using visual documentation. In these patients, PET (PET/CT) examination was used for primary diagnosis, and is compared with the CT angiography or MR angiography. In 2 patients, histological verification is presented. In 3 out of 4 patients, further course of the disease was monitored by PET examination as well. |