18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Giant Cell Arteritis

Abstract

18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) is a highly accurate diagnostic tool for large vessel vasculitis (LVV) and is one of the recommended imaging modalities for confirmation of the diagnosis. This article focuses on the role of FDG-PET/CT in LVV diagnosis and disease monitoring, mainly focusing on giant cell arteritis; in particular, the diagnostic accuracy, diagnostic criteria, the potential pitfalls in the interpretation of large vessel FDG uptake, and the clinical indication compared with other imaging modalities are discussed.

Keywords: 18F-FDG-PET/CT; Diagnostic imaging; Giant cell arteritis; Large vessel vasculitis.