Changing patterns of abnormal vascular wall F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on follow-up PET/CT studies.
BACKGROUND
Fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake may be increased in atherosclerotic plaques in asymptomatic patients. Repeat positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) studies were assessed for changes in patterns of FDG uptake and CT calcifications.


RESULTS
Fifty consecutive cancer patients (mean age, 68 +/- 8 years) had repeat PET/CT studies 8 to 26 months apart. PET, CT, and PET/CT images were retrospectively evaluated for vascular wall abnormalities and for interval changes in the thoracic and abdominal aortas, as well as in carotid and iliac arteries, classified as PET+/CT+, PET+/CT-, and PET-/CT+. There were 485 abnormal sites in the first study and 495 in the second. CT calcifications were found in 46 patients (92%) in the first study and in 47 (94%) in the second. Vascular wall FDG uptake was found in both studies in 37 patients (74%). The pattern changed in 57 of 119 PET+ sites (48%) in the second study compared with 15 of 366 PET- sites (4%) (P < .0001). In the second study new PET+ sites were observed in 36 of 111 sites (32%) versus new PET-/CT+ sites in 19 of 384 sites (5%) (P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in vascular FDG activity and CT calcifications can be assessed by repeat PET/CT. FDG-avid foci may represent a dynamic process, transient inflammation, whereas CT calcifications may indicate stable atherosclerosis. These preliminary results support the need for further research.
Ben-Haim
Simona
S
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. simona@ben-haim.com
Kupzov
Ela
E
Tamir
Ada
A
Frenkel
Alex
A
Israel
Ora
O
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18