Diagnostic Potential of PET/MRI in Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Diagnostic Potential of PET/MRI in Cardiac Sarcoidosis: A Pilot Study Combining Advanced MRI and 18F-FDG and 18F-GE180 PET of the Myocardium

The aim of the study is to find better and more specific non-invasive methods to diagnose and stage cardiac sarcoidosis with the use of advanced imaging modalities, simultaneous 3T MRI and PET. Cardiac sarcoidosis is a disease of possibly fatal outcome in young people. The use of a combined PET/MRI system with 18F-FDG and a new inflammation-tracer (18F-GE180) can become a future game changer.

Sarcoid induced focal inflammation in myocardium should show high 18F-GE180 uptake. 18F-GE180 PET scans will give reliable data about inflammatory sarcoidosis activity in the myocardium. 18F-GE180 PET is expected to improve diagnostic accuracy compared to 18F-FDG-PET and/or contrast enhanced MRI.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Heart department: Suspicion of myocardial sarcoidosis after contrast enhanced cardiac MRI
• Lung department: Clinically verified lung and/or mediastinal sarcoidosis

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known malignancies
• Treatment for sarcoidosis started
• Severe arrhythmia
• Patients with pacemakers or defibrillator
• Claustrophobia
• Known alcohol or drug abuse
• Kidney failure (eGFR < 30)
• Weight > 120 kg
• Diabetes Mellitus type I and II
• Patients that take immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory medication for any reason