Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2023; 27(06): 632-640
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775746
Review Article

EXPLORing Arthritis with Total-body Positron Emission Tomography

Abhijit J. Chaudhari
1   Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
,
Yasser G. Abdelhafez
1   Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
2   Nuclear Medicine Unit, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
,
Lorenzo Nardo
1   Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
,
Siba P. Raychaudhuri
3   Department of Internal Medicine – Rheumatology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
4   Northern California Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mather, California
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Arthritis has significant adverse consequences on musculoskeletal tissues and often other organs of the body. Current methods for clinical evaluation of arthritis are suboptimal, and biomarkers that are objective and measurable indicators for monitoring of arthritis disease activity are in critical demand. Recently, total-body positron emission tomography (PET) has been developed that can collect imaging signals synchronously from the entire body at ultra-low doses and reduced scan times. These scanners have increased signal collection efficiency that overcomes several limitations of standard PET scanners in the evaluation of arthritis, and they may potentially provide biomarkers to assess local and systemic impact of the arthritis disease process. This article reviews current results from using total-body PET in the assessment of common arthritic conditions, and it outlines future opportunities and challenges.



Publication History

Article published online:
07 November 2023

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