Table 2.
[18F]FDG-PET/CT characteristics in the studies
| Study | [18F]FDG Imaging modality | Injected activity | Interval [18F]FDG injection-image acquisition | Scan coverage | Arterial regions examined | Image analysis | Definition of positive [18F]FDG-PET/CT finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaz-Oner et al. (2015) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 3.7 MBq/kg | 60 min | Mid-skull to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, CarotCom, Subclav, Renal | Visuala | Visual ≥ 2a |
| Banerjee et al. (2020) |
PET/CT (low-dose CT) Paediatrics: PET/MRI |
370 MBq Paediatrics: 3.7 MBq/kg |
120 min for PET/CT 60 min for PET/MR |
Vertex to the proximal thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, Carot Subclav |
1) Visual 2) PETVASa |
Visual pattern consistent with vasculitis |
| Bruls et al. (2016) | PET/CT (low-dose CT, followed by arterial phase CT | 3.7 MBq/kg | 60 min | Skull to upper-thigh | ‘Supra-aortic’, AoThor, AoAbd, Iliac | Visual | Any focal uptake higher than background |
| Castellani et al. (2016) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 199–478 MBq | 50–60 min | Mid-skull to distal lower extremities | ‘Supra-aortic’, AoThor, AoAbd, Iliofem |
1) Visual 2) Total visual score 11 aortic tree regions 3) TBR (SUVmean artery/SUVmean liver) 4) Mean TBR 11 aortic tree regions |
Calculated cutoff 12 for total visual score and 0.653 for mean TBR 11 aortic tree regions |
| De Boysson et al. (2017) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 4 MBq/kg | 60 ± 5 min | Whole body | AoThor, AoAbd, Carot, Subclav, Axil, Iliofem, ‘upper and lower limb arteries’ | Visuala | Visual = 3a |
| Grayson et al. (2018) |
PET/CT(low-dose CT) Paediatrics: PET/MRI |
370 MBq Paediatrics: 3.7 MBq/kg |
120 min | Vertex to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, Carot, Subclav, Axil, Iliac, Fem |
1) Nuclear medicine physician global assessment 2) Visual 3) PETVASa |
Visual pattern consistent with vasculitis |
| Henes et al. (2011) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | Not reported | 60 min | Mid-skull to knee/mid-thigh (presumably) | AoAsc/AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, CarotCom, Subclav/Axil, IliacCom, FemSup | Visuala | Visual ≥ 2a |
| Incerti et al. (2017) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 370 MBq | 60 min | Vertex to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, CarotCom, Subclav, Axil, Humeral, Renal, IliacCom, Fem, Popliteal |
1) Visual 2) SUVmax |
Visual uptake equal to or higher than liver |
| Lee et al. (2012) | PET/CT(low-dose CT) | 370 MBq | 40–60 min | Mid-skull to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, CarotCom, Subclav, IliacCom |
1) Visuala 2) TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmax liver) |
Visual ≥ 2a |
| Li et al. (2019) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 37 MBq/13 kg | 60 min | Only carotid artery | CarotCom | Visuala | Visual ≥ 2a |
| Martínez-Rodríguez et al. (2018) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 7 MBq/kg | 180 min | Whole body | ‘Entire aortic wall’ | TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmax blood pool) | Not reported for the relevant disease monitoring scans |
| Nielsen et al. (2018) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) |
Baseline scan: 5 MBq/kg Second scan: 200 MBq |
60 min |
Baseline scan: Skull to mid-thigh Second scan: Limited field of view (minimum neck and thorax) |
AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, Carot, SubclavAsc, SubclavDesc, Axil, Vertebral |
1) Visuala 2) TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmean venous) |
Visual ≥ 3a |
| Park et al. (2018) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 5.18 MBq/kg | 60 min | Skull to proximal thigh or whole-body | AoAsc, AoArch AoDesc, AoAbd., Innom, CarotCom, Subclav, Iliac |
1) Visuala 2) PETVAS 3) SUVmax 4) TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmean vein) 5) TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmean liver) |
Visual ≥ 2a |
| Quinn et al. (2018) |
PET/CT (low-dose CT) Paediatrics: PET/MRI |
370 MBq (presumably) |
Not reported | Not reported | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, Carot, Subclav, Axil, Iliac, Fem |
1) Visual 2) PETVASa |
Visual uptake higher than liver |
| Regola et al., (2020) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, Carot, Subclav |
1) PETVASa 2) TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmax liver) |
Not reported for the relevant disease monitoring scans |
| Rimland et al. (2020) |
PET/CT (low-dose CT) Paediatrics: PET/MRI |
370 MBq | 120 min | Vertex to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, Carot, Subclav | PETVASa | Not reported for the relevant disease monitoring scans |
| Sammel et al. (2020) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 100 MBq | 60 min | Vertex to diaphragm (head/neck/horax) | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, Innom, Carot, Subclav, Axil, Temporal, Occipital, Maxillary, Vertebral | Total vascular score 18 arterial regions b | Not reported for the relevant disease monitoring scans |
| Santhosh et al. (2014) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 370 MBq | 60 min | Skull base to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd, Innom, CarotCom, Subclav, Brachial, Pulmonary, Superior mesenteric, IliacCom | Visual | Visual = 3 in ascending aorta, visual ≥ 2 aortic arch, any uptake descending/abdominal aortaa |
| Schramm et al. (2019) |
PET/CT (low-dose CT or contrast-enhanced CT) PET without CT |
3 MBq/kg | 60 min | Skull base to proximal thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, AoAbd | TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmean of the liver, inferior vena cava, superior vena cava or right atrium) | Not reported for the relevant disease monitoring scans |
| Tezuka et al. (2012) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 3.7 MBq/kg | 60 min | Vertex to mid-thigh | AoAsc, AoArch, AoDesc, Innom, Carot, Subclav, Renal |
1) SUVmax artery 2) TBR (SUVmax artery/SUVmean inferior vena cava) |
Not reported for the relevant disease monitoring scans |
| Vitiello et al. (2018) | PET/CT (low-dose CT) | 3.7 MBq/kg | 60 min | Vertex to mid-thigh (presumably) | AoThor, AoAbd, Carot, Subclav, Iliac, Fem |
1) Visual 2) SUVmean |
Visual pattern consistent with vasculitis |
Information on image analysis is focussed on data relevant to treatment monitoring as reported in Table 3 and Supplemental Table 2. AoAbd, abdominal aorta; AoArch, aortic arch; AoAsc, ascending aorta; AoDesc, descending aorta; AoThor, thoracic aorta; Axil, axillary artery; Carot, carotid artery; CarotCom, common carotid artery; Fem, femoral artery; IliacCom, common iliac artery; Iliofem, iliofemoral artery; Innom, innominate (brachiocephalic) artery; PETVAS, PET vascular activity score (sum of visual scores in different arterial regions). Subclav, subclavian artery; SubclavAsc, ascending subclavian artery; SubclavDesc, descending subclavian artery; TBR, target to background ratio
aVisual 0, no uptake; visual 1, uptake lower than liver; visual 2, FDG uptake equal to the liver; visual 3, FDG uptake more than liver present
bVisual 0, no uptake; visual 1, minimal/equivocally increased uptake; visual 2, moderate/clearly increased uptake; visual 3, very marked uptake (no comparison to the liver was made)