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Study on the correlation of atherosclerosis in the popliteal artery with metabolic activity and metabolic volumetric product of the diabetic foot

¹ Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

854

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the incidence of and accelerates the progression of atherosclerosis in the lower extremities. Our objective was to investigate the correlation between active atherosclerosis in the popliteal artery to metabolic activity (MA) and to metabolic volumetric product (MVP) in the diabetic foot.

Methods: 27 non-consecutive diabetic subjects with prior lower extremity FDG-PET and MR imaging were selected for analysis. Diabetic subjects with neurodegenerative osteoarthropathy, osteomyelitis, focal foot abnormalities, and severe clinical neuropathy were excluded. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn over the popliteal arteries and over adjacent background to calculate arterial/background ratios of maximal SUVs as an assessment of active atherosclerosis. ROIs were also drawn over multiple axial slices through the entire foot, and recorded maximal SUVs were averaged. Foot volumes were approximated using the formula for the volume of a prolate ellipsoid and MVPs were then calculated by multiplication of foot average maximum SUV by foot volume.

Results: Foot MA assessed by the maximum foot SUV was statistically significantly correlated (p<0.05) with the ratio of popliteal artery SUV to background SUV (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.61). Foot MVP was statistically significantly correlated (p<0.05) with the ratio of popliteal artery SUV to background SUV (Pearson correlation coefficient =0.73).

Conclusions: As the atherosclerotic burden of the popliteal artery increases based on FDG-PET, MA and MVP of the diabetic foot tends to increase. Elevation of SUV of the diabetic foot can be considered as an indicator of the severity of ischemia and associated increase in glycolysis.

Research Support: This study was funded by an NIH grant.

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 Nawaz, A. Articles by Alavi, A. PubMed Articles by Nawaz, A. Articles by Alavi, A.