¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in bone sarcoidosis: an observational study

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Oncology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Bone sarcoidosis is a rare manifestation of sarcoidosis.
• Conventional radiography has limited sensitivity for detecting bone sarcoidosis.
• ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT offers improved sensitivity for identifying bone involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the characteristics of bone sarcoidosis detected by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT.
• To evaluate the utility of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing and monitoring bone sarcoidosis.

Main Methods:

• Observational retrospective study of patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis who underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT.
• Sarcoidosis diagnosis confirmed by clinical, imaging, and biopsy evidence of non-caseating granulomas.
• Assessment of clinical and ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT findings, including affected bone sites.

Main Results:

• Bone sarcoidosis was diagnosed in 14% of 85 sarcoidosis patients.
• The spine (92%) and pelvis (67%) were the most frequently affected sites.
• Peripheral adenopathy was associated with bone sarcoidosis (p=0.04).

Conclusions:

• Bone sarcoidosis occurs in 14% of patients, predominantly affecting the axial skeleton.
• ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT is a sensitive imaging modality for the diagnosis of bone sarcoidosis.
• ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT demonstrates effectiveness in monitoring treatment response and disease progression.