title: PET/CT in giant cell arteritis: High18F-FDG uptake in the temporal, occipital and vertebral arteries.
abstract: 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging is useful in patients with fever of unknown origin and can detect giant cell arteritis in extracranial large arteries. However, it is usually assumed that temporal arteries cannot be visualized with a PET/CT scanner due to their small diameter. Three patients with clinical symptoms of temporal arteritis were examined using a standard whole body PET/CT protocol (skull base - mid thighs) followed by a head PET/CT scan using the brain protocol. High18F-FDG uptake in the aorta and some arterial branches were detected in all 3 patients with the whole body protocol. Using the brain protocol, head imaging led to detection of high18F-FDG uptake in temporal arteries as well as in their branches (3 patients), in occipital arteries (2 patients) and also in vertebral arteries (3 patients).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Regional Center for Applied Molecular Oncology (RECAMO), Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Comprehensive Cancer Care, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rehak
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Center of Molecular Imaging, International Clinical Research Center (ICRC), St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vasina
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ptacek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kazda
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fojtik
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: petr.nemec@fnusa.cz.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nemec
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: (18)F-FDG PET/CT; (18)F-FDG PET/TC; Arteritis de células gigantes; Giant cell arteritis; Large-vessel vasculitis; Positron emission tomography; Tomografía por emisión de positrones; Vasculitis de vaso grande