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Title
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New arguments for a vasculitic nature of polymyalgia rheumatica using positron emission tomography.
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Author
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Abstract
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| OBJECTIVE: To study the possible contribution of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. METHODS: A consecutive case series consisting of five patients with polymyalgia rheumatica, six patients with temporal arteritis and 23 age-matched patients with other inflammatory conditions were evaluated with FDG-PET. Studies were performed before therapy with steroids was started. RESULTS: A total of 4/6 patients with giant cell arteritis and 4/5 patients with polymyalgia had increased FDG uptake in their thoracic vessels, compared to 1/23 controls (P < 0.001). Increased vascular FDG uptake in the upper legs was seen in 8/11 patients with giant cell arteritis or polymyalgia compared to 8/23 control patients (P < 0.05), and in the lower legs in 6/11 patients compared to 6/23 controls (P = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: FDG-PET scan is the first non-invasive technique which may indicate large-vessel vasculitis and which can show its extension throughout the body. It strongly suggests that polymyalgia rheumatica is a form of vasculitis. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Rheumatology. - London, 1999, currens
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Publication
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London
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1999
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ISSN
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1462-0324
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Volume/pages
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38
:5
(1999)
, p. 444-447
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ISI
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000080545600011
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
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