Diagnostic performance of F¹⁸ FDG PET in cardiac sarcoidosis: Are we getting closer to the truth?

Excerpt

Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic disease traditionally characterized by the presence of non-caseating granulomas. Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) affects at least 25% of patients with systemic sarcoidosis and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality.1 Advanced cardiovascular imaging techniques including Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging have become pivotal in the diagnosis, management, and prognostication of patients with CS.1,2 However, studies utilizing advanced imaging to improve the identification and management of CS are limited by a multitude of factors, particularly the small sample sizes and observational nature. Given the fact that larger-scale studies are unlikely to be conducted for this less common disease, meta-analyses have been published to address the diagnostic performance of FDG PET for the detection of CS.3 Since the first meta-analysis by Youssef et al. published in 2012, which included seven studies,3 more single-center observational studies have been added to the literature, prompting an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. …