Evaluating the Role of Fluorodeoxyglucose PET Imaging in the Management of Patients with Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis as a distinct disease entity was introduced more than 100 years ago. Most patients are asymptomatic and are never diagnosed, but a segment of the affected population is detected by incidental findings. The signs and symptoms of the disease are nonspecific, and this poses a challenge for accurate diagnosis. Along with many clinical specialties that take part in managing these patients, imaging techniques are playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, determining the extent of the disease, monitoring the response to therapy, and detecting recurrence. This article briefly describes the role of the existing diagnostic imaging studies, including radiography, CT, MRI, and conventional nuclear medicine imaging studies, in this disease entity. The major emphasis is placed on PET, however, as a new and exciting modality for assessing inflammatory diseases. This review discusses the utility of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET in assessing disease activity at various anatomic sites, including the lungs, heart, central nervous system, and other organs.