Procedure Guideline with F-18 FDG PET/CT in Large Vessel Vasculitis

Abstract

Large vessel vasculitis is defined as an inflamatuar disease that mainly affects large arteries, with two main variants, Takayasu arteritis and giant cell arteritis (GCA). GCA may be associated with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), a rheumatic inflammatory condition characterized by inflammation of periarticular structures. Fluorine-18 (F-18) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emisyon tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) is a functional imaging technique frequently used in oncology and plays an important role in the field of inflammatory diseases. The aim of this guideline is to assist nuclear medicine physicians in determining indications, patient preparation, imaging methods, evaluation and reporting stages during the evaluation of patients with suspected or diagnosed large vessel vasculitis and/or PMR with F-18 FDG PET/CT. © 2024 Galenos Publishing House. All rights reserved.