title: The role of 18F-FDG PET in characterising disease activity in Takayasu arteritis.
abstract: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a rare, sporadic and chronic inflammatory arteritis, which predominantly affects the aorta and its branches. Diagnosis can be difficult and there are limitations to the current diagnostic work-up. By detecting areas of active glucose metabolism present in active vasculitis, imaging with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) could potentially have a role in the management of TA. Our aim was to assess this role by reviewing 28 (18)F-FDG PET scans performed on 18 patients suspected of having TA. All patients had full clinical and laboratory assessment, cross-sectional imaging and angiography, and 16/18 satisfied the American College of Rheumatologists' criteria for TA. (18)F-FDG PET achieved a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 100%, and negative and positive predictive values of 85% and 100% respectively in the initial assessment of active vasculitis in TA. We conclude that (18)F-FDG PET can be used to diagnose early disease, to detect active disease (even within chronic changes) and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12 0HS, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Myles
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: AL-Nahhas
authors.forename: Justin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maudlin
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18