TY - JOUR
T1 - Vascular Inflammation in Subclinical Atherosclerosis Detected by Hybrid PET/MRI
AU - Fernández-Friera, Leticia
AU - Fuster, Valentín
AU - López-Melgar, Beatriz
AU - Oliva, Belén
AU - Sánchez-González, Javier
AU - Macías, Angel
AU - Pérez-Asenjo, Braulio
AU - Zamudio, Daniel
AU - Alonso-Farto, Juan C.
AU - España, Samuel
AU - Mendiguren, José
AU - Bueno, Héctor
AU - García-Ruiz, Jose M.
AU - Ibañez, Borja
AU - Fernández-Ortiz, Antonio
AU - Sanz, Javier
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American College of Cardiology Foundation
PY - 2019/4/2
Y1 - 2019/4/2
N2 - Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, but data on arterial inflammation at early stages is limited. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize vascular inflammation by hybrid 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). Methods: Carotid, aortic, and ilio-femoral 18 F-FDG PET/MRI was performed in 755 individuals (age 40 to 54 years; 83.7% men) with known plaques detected by 2-/3-dimensional vascular ultrasound and/or coronary calcification in the PESA (Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis) study. The authors evaluated the presence, distribution, and number of arterial inflammatory foci (increased 18 F-FDG uptake) and plaques with or without inflammation (coincident 18 F-FDG uptake). Results: Arterial inflammation was present in 48.2% of individuals (24.4% femorals, 19.3% aorta, 15.8% carotids, and 9.3% iliacs) and plaques in 90.1% (73.9% femorals, 55.8% iliacs, and 53.1% carotids). 18 F-FDG arterial uptakes and plaques significantly increased with cardiovascular risk factors (p < 0.01). Coincident 18 F-FDG uptakes were present in 287 of 2,605 (11%) plaques, and most uptakes were detected in plaque-free arterial segments (459 of 746; 61.5%). Plaque burden, defined by plaque presence, number, and volume, was significantly higher in individuals with arterial inflammation than in those without (p < 0.01). The number of plaques and 18 F-FDG uptakes showed a positive albeit weak correlation (r = 0.25; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Arterial inflammation is highly prevalent in middle-aged individuals with known subclinical atherosclerosis. Large-scale multiterritorial PET/MRI allows characterization of atherosclerosis-related arterial inflammation and demonstrates 18 F-FDG uptake in plaque-free arterial segments and, less frequently, within plaques. These findings suggest an arterial inflammatory state at early stages of atherosclerosis.
AB - Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, but data on arterial inflammation at early stages is limited. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize vascular inflammation by hybrid 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). Methods: Carotid, aortic, and ilio-femoral 18 F-FDG PET/MRI was performed in 755 individuals (age 40 to 54 years; 83.7% men) with known plaques detected by 2-/3-dimensional vascular ultrasound and/or coronary calcification in the PESA (Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis) study. The authors evaluated the presence, distribution, and number of arterial inflammatory foci (increased 18 F-FDG uptake) and plaques with or without inflammation (coincident 18 F-FDG uptake). Results: Arterial inflammation was present in 48.2% of individuals (24.4% femorals, 19.3% aorta, 15.8% carotids, and 9.3% iliacs) and plaques in 90.1% (73.9% femorals, 55.8% iliacs, and 53.1% carotids). 18 F-FDG arterial uptakes and plaques significantly increased with cardiovascular risk factors (p < 0.01). Coincident 18 F-FDG uptakes were present in 287 of 2,605 (11%) plaques, and most uptakes were detected in plaque-free arterial segments (459 of 746; 61.5%). Plaque burden, defined by plaque presence, number, and volume, was significantly higher in individuals with arterial inflammation than in those without (p < 0.01). The number of plaques and 18 F-FDG uptakes showed a positive albeit weak correlation (r = 0.25; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Arterial inflammation is highly prevalent in middle-aged individuals with known subclinical atherosclerosis. Large-scale multiterritorial PET/MRI allows characterization of atherosclerosis-related arterial inflammation and demonstrates 18 F-FDG uptake in plaque-free arterial segments and, less frequently, within plaques. These findings suggest an arterial inflammatory state at early stages of atherosclerosis.
KW - F-FDG PET/MRI
KW - arterial inflammation
KW - plaque inflammation
KW - subclinical atherosclerosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063097192&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.12.075
DO - 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.12.075
M3 - Article
C2 - 30922468
AN - SCOPUS:85063097192
SN - 0735-1097
VL - 73
SP - 1371
EP - 1382
JO - Journal of the American College of Cardiology
JF - Journal of the American College of Cardiology
IS - 12
ER -