Relapsing polychondritis: Primary and follow-up diagnostics with 18F-FDG-PET/CT [Rezidivierende Polychondritis: Primär- und Verlaufsdiagnostik mittels 18F-FDG-PET/CT]

Case report: This article presents an overview of the typical clinical and imaging features of relapsing polychondritis (RP), a rare autoimmune disease, based on a case report; Conclusion: Although the diagnosis is mainly established clinically, the use of 8F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) has been proven to be a useful diagnostic tool to accurately determine the extent of inflammation throughout the body. Furthermore 18F-FDG-PET/CT provides a high sensitivity for detection of a relapse, especially when clinical and laboratory results are inconclusive. Additionally, 18F-FDG-PET/CT helps to assess disease activity during the course of therapy. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.