[F]-Sodium fluoride uptake in Takayasu arteritis.

BACKGROUND

While F-fluorodeoxyglucose and F-sodium fluoride with positron emission tomography relate with inflammation and calcification, their role in the assessment of patients with Takayasu arteritis has not yet been studied.

METHODS

We present 5 patients with suspected active metabolic disease who underwent PET with F-fluorodeoxyglucose and F-sodium fluoride in order to explore the locations and correlations of F-fluorodeoxyglucose and F-sodium fluoride uptakes. Diagnosis of metabolic active disease was based on F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake.

RESULTS

We studied 3 female patients and 2 male patients. Median age was 29 years (min: 19 max: 63). In areas with atherosclerotic plaques, we found a negative correlation between F-sodium fluoride and F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptakes (r = -0.78) (P = .001). Meanwhile, in areas with only metabolic active disease, we found a positive correlation between F-sodium fluoride and F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptakes (r = 0.94) (P = .019).

CONCLUSIONS

In Takayasu arteritis, F-sodium fluoride uptake can document different stages of metabolic disease, even in the absence of active metabolic disease or symptoms.