RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the relation between the echolucent plaque on carotid ultrasound and acute inflammation on F-18 FDG carotid PET/CT. METHODS: Thirty nine patients (M:F ratio = 23:16, mean age = 63 ± 11 years) that underwent coronary angiography and carotid ultrasound were divided into three groups-echolucent plaque (n = 22), calcified (n = 10), and no plaque(n = 7). All the patients underwent F-18 FDG carotid PET/CT. The mean standardized uptake values (SUV), namely target to background ratio (TBR) on 180 minutes delayed F-18 FDG carotid PET/CT images were compared with levels of serum inflammatory markers and lipid profiles, and in terms of the presence of carotid plaque on carotid US. RESULTS: 180 minutes TBR of carotid arterial wall at echolucent plaque, calcified plaque, and no plaque were 1.40 ± 0.05, 1.23 ± 0.03, 1.17 ± 0.03 in both carotid artery. TBR of carotid arterial walls for echolucent plaque were significantly larger than TBR for calcified, and no plaque respectively at the both side of carotid artery (P < .05). Serum HDL levels were found to be inversely correlated with F-18 FDG uptake at both carotid arteries (r = -0.43, P = .005) on 180 minutes delayed phase images. Also serum hs-CRP levels were found to be correlated with F-18 FDG TBR values of right carotid arteries (r = 0.41, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that F-18 FDG carotid PET/CT can depict metabolically active atherosclerotic plaques, and suggest that F-18 FDG carotid PET/CT can be used as a noninvasive imaging modality for functional evaluation of atherosclerosis.