Statement on ¹⁸F-FDG PET Usage for Large-vessel Vasculitis

Abstract

In April 2018, the use of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET) for large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) was finally approved under the Japanese national health insurance system. The use of ¹⁸F-FDG PET in LVV differs from the oncological use in several aspects such as the patients’ age distribution, precautions regarding the tracer dosage, and the utility for diagnosis and patient management. Considering the higher incidence of Takayasu arteritis in Japan than in western countries, it is expected that young females will undergo ¹⁸F-FDG PET for LVV for the diagnosis and the management. The Japanese Society of Nuclear Cardiology (JSNC) has issued this brief statement about the use of ¹⁸F-FDG PET for diagnosing/managing LVV, which focuses on the specific characteristics of LVV, imaging protocols, the clinical utility of ¹⁸F-FDG PET, and some issues that clinicians should be aware of.