(18)F-FDG PET imaging of granulomatosis with polyangiitis -Wegener's Syndrome

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly called Wegener's syndrome, is a vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and may occur in all ages but mostly in order adults. The organs most frequently involved are the ear, nose and throat (rhinitis, sinusitus, oral ulcers, chondritis), the lungs (nodules, sometimes cavitating, infiltrates, hilar adenopathy) and the kidneys (glomerulonephritis). As patients typically present with constitutional symptoms, the diagnosis can be challenging. We report the findings on position emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) in a patient with a limited form of GPA.

None of the findings on PET are specific for GPA, but in a given clinical context, they may contribute to early diagnosis. They may guide biopsy taking, and may determine the extent of the disease. During and after treatment, PET can be used to monitor disease activity.