Based on the previous study, in which high-grade arterial wall FDG (fluoro-D-glucose) uptake was found by 2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging ([18F]F-FDG-PET/MRI) without arterial wall thickening with contrast-enhancement in a sizeable number of c-TA patients, researchers sought to compare these individuals to those who were positron emission tomography (PET) positive but Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) negative. Their goal was to assess the value of combining these 2 imaging modalities. Previously, a 3-center cross-sectional study with 17 patients who underwent [18F]F-FDG-PET/MRI and met the eular/printo/pres criteria for c-ta was carried out. Here, we compared group 1 of patients/vessels with positive pet (arterial wall 18f-fdg uptake greater than liver) and group 2 of patients/vessels with positive mra (arterial wall thickening with contrast enhancement). The median disease duration of 17 c-TA patients was 10.4 years. A total of 6 patients were placed in group 2 and 9 patients in group 1. All arterial segments’ median metabolic inflammatory volume (MIV) was significantly higher in group 1 (2,346 vs. 1,177 cm3; P=0.036). From the 284 arterial segments that were available, 54(19%) showed positive findings in the vessel wall on 1 or both images. Only 13% of arterial segments (group 1) showed positive findings that were consistent with PET and MRA; the majority of changes (28–59.6%) that was inconsistent between the 2 images were positive in PET and negative in MRA (group 2). According to the studies, [18F]F-FDG-PET/MRI provided additional insight into the c-ta patients’ vessel wall inflammation. To obtain reliable information to support immunosuppressive tapering and withdrawal, prospective multicenter studies were required.
Source: advancesinrheumatology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42358-022-00260-5
