title: [Case of temporal arteritis: FDP-PET ((18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography) was useful for early diagnosis and treatment].
abstract: A 61-year-old woman with a continuous left temporal headache and a fever of 39°C for about one month was admitted to our hospital. The physical examination was not remarkable, except for slight tenderness of the left temporal side of her head. Laboratory data on admission revealed an increase of leucocytes (9,700/µl), blood platelets (59.4×10(4)/µl), and serum c-reactive protein (CRP) (10.9 mg/dl). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was also elevated (88 mm/1 h). After gallium scintigraphy, a gallium-67 uptake was weakly detected at the left temporal side of her head. However, after FDG-PET examination, a high FDG uptake was detected in her temporal artery, abdominal aorta, and bilateral femoral arteries. Moreover, Doppler sonography showed a hypoechoic halo around her left temporal artery. After treatment with oral prednisolone (40 mg/day), her headache disappeared and her serum CRP level returned to normal. Finally, the patient had pathological temporal arteritis proven by a biopsy. It is difficult to make an early diagnosis of temporal arteritis if the dilatation or swelling of the temporal arteries is not present. FDG-PET is considered a useful examination not only for the exploration of tumors, but also for the evaluation of the inflammation of large vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Kinki University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Samejima
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Mituaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sioyama
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Funauchi
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18