Repetitive 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in isolated polymyalgia rheumatica: a prospective study in 35 patients

Objective. To study fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) deposition in different vascular beds and in the large joints of patients with isolated polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), and to investigate whether there is a relation between FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) results and risk of relapse. Methods. All consecutive patients with isolated PMR underwent a FDG–PET scan before treatment with steroids was started and—if logistics allowed—at 3 and 6 months....