PMC3263740_01
(a) and (b): Coronal fused PET/CT (a) and sagittal fused PET/CT (b) through the thorax show increased FDG uptake of the thoracic aortic wall. (c) and (d): Coronal fused PET/CT (c) and sagittal fused PET/CT (d) through the thorax show disappearance of FDG uptake of the aortic wall after six months of treatment.
RHEUMATOLOGY2011-648703.001.jpg
PMC3263740_01_RHEUMATOLOGY2011-648703.001.jpg
fig1
Suspecting giant cell arteritis, 18FDG-PET was performed because the patient refused the temporal artery biopsy.  It revealed striking hypermetabolism of the thoracic and abdominal aortic wall, highly suggestive of large vessel vasculitis (Figure 1). 1 mg/Kg/d of equivalent prednisone was started. Six months after the beginning of the treatment, the 18FDG-PET didnot show any hypermetabolism in the aortic walls (Figure 1).