PET/computed tomography shows association between subjective pain in knee joints and fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG)-PET/computed tomography (CT) in screening for musculoskeletal inflammation and injury in the knee region. METHODS: The study included 12 subjects (6 men and 6 women) who complained of knee pain at rest and 94 controls who did not. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUV)max was calculated for the right and left knees and compared via a 4-point numerical rating scale (NRS) for subjective knee pain. Correlations between SUV values were also evaluated. RESULTS: SUVmax was significantly higher in knee joints with resting and/or walking pain than in pain-free knee joints. SUVmax in knee joints with walking pain were significantly correlated with NRS category (ß = 0.129, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: F-FDG-PET/CT may be useful in screening for musculoskeletal inflammation and injury in the knee region. As knee pain is common, especially among elderly individuals, we should consider conducting further examinations when F-FDG uptake is identified in knee joints.

Uptake of aortic 18F-FDG is correlated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and leptin in a general population.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship between aortic 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) uptake and clinical and laboratory findings related to atherosclerosis in a general population. METHODS: 18F-FDG uptake in the ascending aorta was measured on the positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans of 211 Japanese adults. The maximum target-to-background ratio (TBR) was compared with clinical and laboratory atherosclerosis findings. RESULTS: By multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and sex, TBR-ascending aorta (TBR-A) was significantly correlated with various clinical and laboratory parameters, such as body mass index, log visceral fat area, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), log fasting immunoreactive insulin, log homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, log total adiponectin and log-leptin, in all subjects. Furthermore, by multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors, TBR-A was significantly correlated with LDL-C (ß = 0.001, p = 0.03) and log-leptin (ß = 0.336, p<0.01) in all subjects. CONCLUSION: TBR-A was significantly correlated with LDL-C and log-leptin independent from confounding factors. Our results suggest that aortic 18F-FDG uptake is a good marker of atherosclerosis, even in a general population.

PET/CT shows subjective pain in shoulder joints to be associated with uptake of (18)F-FDG.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the capability of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the screening of musculoskeletal inflammation and injury of the shoulder region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 122 participants (69 men and 53 women) who complained of shoulder pain at rest and 122 age-matched and sex-matched controls who did not experience pain at rest. Standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated for both the left and right shoulders and compared using a four-point visual analog scale of subjective shoulder pain. Correlations between SUVs and uric acid and C-reactive proteins were also evaluated. RESULTS: SUVs for shoulder joints with rest and/or motion pain were significantly higher than those for pain-free shoulder joints. SUVs associated with mild and severe pain at rest were significantly higher than those associated with absence of pain at rest, and SUVs associated with moderate and severe pain on motion were significantly higher than those associated with absence of motion pain. Furthermore, SUVs were significantly correlated with uric acid in men (ß=0.21, P=0.02) and in all participants (ß=0.22, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: F-FDG-PET/CT may be useful for the screening of musculoskeletal inflammation and injury of the shoulder region. As shoulder pain is common, especially among elderly individuals, we should carefully consider the necessity of further examination when identifying the uptake of F-FDG in shoulder joints.

Good stress management capability is associated with lower body mass index and restful sleep in the elderly.

Psychosocial stress is generally associated with adverse health behaviors and has been linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Recently, an individual's sense of coherence (SOC), which is a concept that reflects the ability to cope with psychosocial stress, has been recognized as an essential component of long-term health and stress management. The association between SOC and traditional and alternative atherosclerotic markers in a community sample, however, has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, we evaluated stress management capability and psychological conditions using the Japanese version of the Sense of Coherence-13 (SOC-13) Scale, supplemented by the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) that screens for minor psychiatric disorders. The study subjects were 511 adults, median age 64 years (range 48-70), who participated in a regular medical screening program in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. We then correlated our findings with atherosclerotic risk factors in the same community sample, such as body mass index (BMI) and proper and regular sleeping habits. We found that close association between good stress management capability and lower BMI and/or regular sleeping habits in elderly Japanese. This provides strong evidence that BMI and sleep management are contributory to SOC. If the ability to cope with psychosocial stress is important to the prevention of CVD, then weight control and proper sleep habits must be emphasized from a psychosocial stress-management perspective as well as a physical one.