Research ArticleClinical Investigations

18F-NaF Uptake by Atherosclerotic Plaque on PET/CT Imaging: Inverse Correlation Between Calcification Density and Mineral Metabolic Activity

Francesco Fiz, Silvia Morbelli, Arnoldo Piccardo, Matteo Bauckneht, Giulia Ferrarazzo, Emanuela Pestarino, Manlio Cabria, Alessia Democrito, Mattia Riondato, Giampiero Villavecchia, Cecilia Marini and Gianmario Sambuceti
Journal of Nuclear Medicine July 2015, 56 (7) 1019-1023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.115.154229

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • FIGURE 1.
    FIGURE 1.

    PET/CT qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of the 3 plaque subtypes, hot spots, and control regions. Radiologically, less dense plaque (light) shows intense fluoride uptake, denser plaque (medium) shows less tracer accumulation, and plaque in the highest tertile of HU density (heavy) shows no visible uptake. The highest activity is in calcium-free arterial hot spots. Graph at bottom left shows distribution of uptake intensity vs. density of plaque subtypes, hot spots, and control regions, allowing appreciation of the distribution spread of each element and the inverse correlation between plaque density and TBR. Graph at bottom right shows the significant difference between different plaque types and the almost identical uptake of fluoride in heavy plaque and control regions. CR = control region; HP = heavy plaque; HS = hot spots; LP = light plaque; MP = medium plaque.

  • FIGURE 2.
    FIGURE 2.

    Estimated average uptake in the 3 plaque groups, reconstructed according to attenuation-corrected and non–attenuation corrected protocols (top). No substantial differences were noticed in any plaque type. Qualitative assessment (bottom) did not show any artifactual uptake on attenuation-corrected reconstruction. AC = attenuation-corrected; HP = heavy plaque; LP = light plaque; MP = medium plaque; NAC = non–attenuation-corrected; NS = not statistically significant.

  • FIGURE 3.
    FIGURE 3.

    Patient-by-patient correlation between hot-spot average and light (top), medium (middle), and heavy (bottom) plaque. The significance of this correlation markedly dwindles when progressing from light to heavy plaque, suggesting that lighter plaque shares, at least in part, mechanisms active within hot spots. HP = heavy plaque; HS = hot spots; LP = light plaque; MP = medium plaque.

Back to top

In this issue

Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Email Article
Citation Tools
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

Keywords