title: Combined application of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in early diagnosis of vulnerable carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the correlations between atherosclerotic plaque characteristics and inflammatory activity by combined use of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT and MRI. Target/background ratios (TBR) of axial sections were determined from mean standard uptake values (SUV). Correlations between TBR and mean vessel wall thickness, total vessel area, lumen area, vessel wall area and normalized wall index were calculated. Plaque types were defined as calcified, collagen, lipid or haemorrhage. Plaques were also classified as thick, thin, or ruptured fibrous cap.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 31 patients (1178 plaque slices). There was a significant decrease in TBR values across the fibrous cap groups, such that ruptured > thin > thick. Lipid and haemorrhage plaques had significantly higher TBR than calcification and collagen plaques. There were weak positive correlations between TBR and mean vessel wall thickness, vessel wall area and normalized wall index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thin or ruptured plaques, lipid-rich plaques and haemorrhagic plaques possess high inflammatory activity. The combination of (18)F-FDG PET/CT and MRI could be useful for qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lei-xing
authors.forename: Gai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jing-jing
authors.forename: Niu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jing-xue
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chang-zai
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao-xi
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Da-yi
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia-jin
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiong-wei
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu-quan
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dan-qing
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hong-bin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Carotid artery; atherosclerotic plaque; inflammation