Abstract
The analysis was performed in chronic sarcoidosis patients with persistent clinical symptoms due to assess the utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT. The analysis were performed before and after the period of specific therapy for sarcoidosis due to clinical-radiographic-functional findings.
Methods: We analyzed 51 patients with chronic sarcoidosis (mean age ± SD: 47 ± 12 year; 38 F/13M). After the follow up (12 ± 5 months ), the clinical status,functional findings and therapy modalities were analyzed.
Results: 18F-FDG PET CT detected activity s.inflammation in 37 patients (82%) (SUV: 8.1 ± 3.9).MDCT was positive in 5 additional patients (89%). The difference between this two methods was not significant.Correlation between ACE levels and 18F-FDG PET/CT results were obtaine in 25 (49%) patients (P = 0.002,Mann–Whitney test). In 26 patients (51%) with positive 18F-FDG PET/CT findings, the ACE levels were in physiological levels. The therapies were initiated or even changed in 43 (81%). Significante correlation were find out between the positive 18F-FDG PET/CT results and changes in therapies. Conclusion: the results from our study indicate that 18F-FDG PET/CT is the important diagnostic method in chronic sarcoidosis due to obtaine the activity of sarcoidosis granulomas.
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