title: Feasibility of 18F-sodium fluoride PET/CT for imaging of atherosclerotic plaque.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence, distribution, and topographic relationship of vascular (18)F-sodium fluoride uptake and arterial calcification in major arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Image data obtained from 75 patients undergoing whole-body (18)F-sodium fluoride PET/CT were evaluated retrospectively. Arterial radiotracer uptake and calcification were analyzed qualitatively and semiquantitatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (18)F-sodium fluoride uptake was observed at 254 sites in 57 (76%) of the 75 study patients, and calcification was observed at 1,930 sites in 63 (84%) of the patients. Colocalization of radiotracer accumulation and calcification could be observed in 223 areas of uptake (88%). However, only 12% of all arterial calcification sites showed increased radiotracer uptake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate the feasibility of (18)F-sodium fluoride PET/CT for the imaging of mineral deposition in arterial wall alterations. (18)F-sodium fluoride PET/CT may provide relevant information about the morphologic and functional properties of calcified plaque.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. t.derlin@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Derlin
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bannas
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Begemann
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buchert
authors.forename: Janos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mester
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klutmann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001692:Biological Transport; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000378:metabolism; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D012969:Sodium Fluoride