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This Article Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Bural, G. Articles by Alavi, A. PubMed Articles by Bural, G. Articles by Alavi, A.

Aortic FDG uptake, segmental correlation with aging and gender

¹ Radiology, Brigham and Women`s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Joint Program in Nuclear Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; ² Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Objectives: FDG-PET can detect, localize, and quantify the degree of inflammatory change in the arterial wall due to early atherosclerosis. Our aim was to assess the correlation between age and FDG uptake of aortic segments in all subjects, in both genders, and in young and old subjects.

Methods: We evaluated presence of FDG uptake in aortic segments in 143 subjects (58 men, 85 women; ages 5-82 years) who underwent whole-body FDG-PET for assessment of non-cardiovascular disorders. Subjects were initially grouped according to gender, and then by age (below or above 50) with at least 26 subjects per group. Mean SUVs of ascending, arch, descending thoracic, and abdominal aortic segments were recorded. Correlation between age and mean SUV of aortic segments in all subjects, in both genders, and in young and old subjects were analyzed.

Results: There was a positive correlation between age and mean SUV of all aortic segments. Descending thoracic and ascending aortic segments in men below 50 years old had the highest correlation values (0.85 and 0.80, respectively). Abdominal aortic segment in men older than 50 years had the lowest correlation value (0.20). Correlation values in all aortic segments were higher in subjects below 50 years old compared to those above 50 years old in the entire group and for both genders (p<0.001).

Conclusions: FDG uptake in aortic segments increases with age in both genders. The increase with age is more significant in younger subjects (below 50) compared to older subjects (above 50) for both men and women. This finding may indicate a deceleration in the inflammatory component of atherosclerosis with aging in older subjects.

This Article Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Bural, G. Articles by Alavi, A. PubMed Articles by Bural, G. Articles by Alavi, A.