Future and upcoming non-neoplastic applications of PET/CT imaging

Abstract

The role of fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of neoplastic conditions is well established. The clinical utility of PET/CT has now expanded to the diagnosis of autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious, as well as non-neoplastic conditions, such as the vasculitides, atherosclerosis, and granulomatous conditions, including sarcoidosis and inflammatory bowel disease, in addition to a variety of neurologic disorders. The availability of new PET radiotracers is expected to expand PET/CT applications to a variety of other clinical domains. New radioligands for studying inflammation and neurodegenerative processes are under development. Here, we discuss the evolving potential role of PET imaging for the evaluation and monitoring of miscellaneous conditions, including osteoarthritis, interstitial lung disease, vascular thromboses, and osteoporosis.