title: [Incidence of focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake and correlation with coronary calcifications by PET/CT].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence of (18)F-FDG focal uptake in the myocardium as well as its correlation with coronary vessel calcifications.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 130 patients who underwent an oncological PET/CT study were reviewed retrospectively. Sixty-five had undergone a myocardial perfusion study because of clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease (group 1). There were no significant differences in age and gender regarding another group of the same series (n=65; group 2). Focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake and the presence of coronary vessel calcifications were identified by 2 independent observers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group 1: in 18 out of 65 patients (28%) focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake was identified (5 had 2 foci; total: 23 foci). In 43 out of 65 studies (66%), calcification was identified in the coronary vessels. Group 2: in 6 out of 65 patients (9%) focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake was identified (1 had 2 foci; total: 7 foci). In 17 out of 65 studies (26%), calcification was identified in the coronary vessels. Comparative analysis: focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake and coronary vessel calcifications were more frequent in the group 1 patients (p<0.01). There was no correlation between the presence of coronary vessel calcifications and focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake in individual patients in both groups (group 1: p=0.7; group 2: p=0.163).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PET/CT allows simultaneous assessment of focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake and myocardial vessel calcifications. Patients with clinical suspicion of coronary artery disease have a higher incidence of focal myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake and coronary calcifications. However, (18)F-FDG focal uptake is often observed in sites remote from those with calcification.
authors.affiliation: Unitat PET/TC CETIR Grup Mèdic, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España. jrgarcia@cetir.es
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lomeña
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Carrio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005215:Fasting / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D057805:Pets; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D002118:Calcium