18F-FDG PET/CT IN SARCOIDOSIS EMERGING PATTERNS AND PHENOTYPES FROM A GREEK STUDY

TYPE: Abstract Publication TOPIC: Imaging PURPOSE: In sarcoidosis phenotypes may be influenced by genotypes. Future biomedical studies on the disease require homogeneous cohorts based on clear and undisputable phenotypes. However, the definition of organ involvement with previous means appears laborious and somewhat controversial, and phenotyping by the above overlapping. 18F-FDG PET/CT defines more precisely disease extent by activity, and may result in a better understanding of sarcoidosis disease behavior and phenotypes expression. This study was designed to investigate the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in phenotyping sarcoidosis by adding this new means in the routine work-up of 195 sarcoidosis patients of a single academic center. METHODS: This study was designed to investigate the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in phenotyping sarcoidosis by adding this new means in the routine work-up of 195 sarcoidosis patients of a single academic center. RESULTS: 18F-FDG PET/CT succeeded to identify despite the apparent anarchy of disease localizations and patterns of distribution, an ordered stratification into 4 phenotypes: I) thoracic nodal hilar-mediastinal, II) thoracic nodal hilar-mediastinal and lungs, III) an extended thoracic and extra-thoracic only nodal phenotype including inguinal-abdominal-supraclavicular stations, and IV) all the above plus systemic organs and tissues such as muscles-bones-spleen and skin. CONCLUSIONS: 18F-FDG PET/CT implemented in any sarcoidosis patient successfully revealed activity in almost any anatomical site identifying despite the apparent anarchy of disease in treatment naïve patients, by cluster analysis an ordered stratification into four phenotypes CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The unveiling of the above phenotypes may prove useful in the design of future studies with homogeneous cohorts facilitating in sarcoidosis patients a personalized medicine approach. DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships. KEYWORDS: 18F-FDG PET/CT, phenotyping, sarcoidosis