Assessment of inflammatory activity in sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a disease that involves the development of spontaneous inflammations in various organs and tissues of the body. Knowing whether the disease is active is important for the determination of the prognosis and the choice of treatment. In inflammatory diseases the glucose intake of the body can be increased. By labelling glucose radioactive, a PET scan can make an increased glucose intake visible and thus distinguish an active from an expired disease. However, this type of heavy and costly examination is not always necessary. PET scan examination, on the other hand, does appear to have a clear added value when complaints cannot be explained by lung function examination, X-rays and blood tests. Also, the PET scan appears helpful with the determination of the extent of the disease. Choosing the right tests to trace active sarcoidosis can limit the burden for patients and help to keep the health care expenses affordable.