Chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases are common conditions in the general population. Diagnosis of these diseases is complicated due to the general inflammation and there is the need to eliminate differential and associated diagnoses, such as neoplasias and vasculitis.
Performing a comprehensive diagnostic work-up for chronic inflammatory rheumatic conditions is challenging in clinical practice and the diagnosis is difficult also between the different rheumatic conditions.
Nuclear medicine imaging has a great potential for a better understanding of the disease status and provides a tool not only for the diagnosis but also for the prognosis, to prevent fatal outcomes. The application of these techniques in the diagnosis and management of rheumatological diseases relies on the detection of in vivo pathological body changes at an early stage of the diseases, earlier compared to the structural changes which can eb detected by conventional imaging. The in vivo administration of radionuclides allows for high specificity of the detected region and allows differentiation of different rheumatic conditions.
In addition, the possibility to administer specific radiopharmaceuticals allows nuclear medicine to have therapeutic potential.
In this Research Topic, we aim to collect original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and other article types focusing on all the recent advances in the use of nuclear medicine techniques for the diagnosis of different rheumatic conditions and for their treatment.
Chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases are common conditions in the general population. Diagnosis of these diseases is complicated due to the general inflammation and there is the need to eliminate differential and associated diagnoses, such as neoplasias and vasculitis.
Performing a comprehensive diagnostic work-up for chronic inflammatory rheumatic conditions is challenging in clinical practice and the diagnosis is difficult also between the different rheumatic conditions.
Nuclear medicine imaging has a great potential for a better understanding of the disease status and provides a tool not only for the diagnosis but also for the prognosis, to prevent fatal outcomes. The application of these techniques in the diagnosis and management of rheumatological diseases relies on the detection of in vivo pathological body changes at an early stage of the diseases, earlier compared to the structural changes which can eb detected by conventional imaging. The in vivo administration of radionuclides allows for high specificity of the detected region and allows differentiation of different rheumatic conditions.
In addition, the possibility to administer specific radiopharmaceuticals allows nuclear medicine to have therapeutic potential.
In this Research Topic, we aim to collect original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and other article types focusing on all the recent advances in the use of nuclear medicine techniques for the diagnosis of different rheumatic conditions and for their treatment.