REVIEW  FDG PET/CT FOR INFECTION AND INFLAMMATION: A PRACTICAL APPROACH Free access

The Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025 March;69(1):69-81

DOI: 10.23736/S1824-4785.25.03611-8

Copyright © 2025 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

[18F]FDG PET/CT imaging of giant cell arteritis: contemporary practical guide to image acquisition and interpretation

Phillip YIN ¹ ✉, Gad ABIKHZER ^{2, 3}, Jean-Louis ALBERINI ^{4, 5}, Riemer H. SLART ^{6, 7}

¹ Faculty of Medicine, University of Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; ² Department of Medical Imaging, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; ³ Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; ⁴ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Centre Georges François Leclerc, Dijon, France; ⁵ ICMUB, UMR CNRS 6302, University of Bourgogne, Dijon, France; ⁶ Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; ⁷ Biomedical Photonic Imaging Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common of the large vessel vasculitides, with [¹⁸F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT indicated for evaluation of suspected large vessel involvement. Advances in PET/CT technology, particularly with digital PET, have significantly improved the assessment of cranial artery involvement in GCA. Recent guidelines have been updated to incorporate [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT imaging in the diagnosis of GCA. This review article provides a practical guide to the most recent recommendations regarding PET/CT study indications, image acquisition and interpretation criteria for GCA, while discussing potential pitfalls and future research directions in the field.

KEY WORDS: Giant cell arteritis; Vasculitis; Positron emission tomography computed tomography; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18