Advances in PET Imaging of Large Vessel Vasculitis: An Update and Future Trends

Kornelis S M van der Geest; Olivier Gheysens; Lars C Gormsen; Andor W J M Glaudemans; Charalampos Tsoumpas; Elisabeth Brouwer; Pieter H Nienhuis; Gijs D van Praagh; Riemer H J A Slart

doi:10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2024.03.001

Advances in PET Imaging of Large Vessel Vasculitis: An Update and Future Trends

Semin Nucl Med. 2024 Mar 26:S0001-2998(24)00026-6. doi: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2024.03.001. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kornelis S M van der Geest¹, Olivier Gheysens², Lars C Gormsen³, Andor W J M Glaudemans⁴, Charalampos Tsoumpas⁴, Elisabeth Brouwer¹, Pieter H Nienhuis⁴, Gijs D van Praagh⁴, Riemer H J A Slart⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
² Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cliniques universitaires St-Luc and Institute for Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Biomedical Photonic Imaging Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.h.j.a.slart@umcg.nl.

PMID: 38538456
DOI: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2024.03.001

Abstract

Systemic vasculitides are autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation of blood vessels. They are categorized based on the size of the preferentially affected blood vessels: large-, medium-, and small-vessel vasculitides. The main forms of large-vessel vasculitis include giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Depending on the location of the affected vessels, various imaging modalities can be employed for diagnosis of large vessel vasculitis: ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), and [¹⁸F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT). These imaging tools offer complementary information about vascular changes occurring in vasculitis. Recent advances in PET imaging in large vessel vasculitis include the introduction of digital long axial field-of-view PET/CT, dedicated acquisition, quantitative methodologies, and the availability of novel radiopharmaceuticals. This review aims to provide an update on the current status of PET imaging in large vessel vasculitis and to share the latest developments on imaging vasculitides.

Publication types

Review