Pancreatic 18F-FDG uptake is increased in type 2 diabetes patients compared to non-diabetic controls

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 19;14(3):e0213202. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213202. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Introduction: Increasing evidence indicates that the development of type 2 diabetes is driven by chronic low grade beta-cell inflammation. However, it is unclear whether pancreatic inflammation can be noninvasively visualized in type 2 diabetes patients. We aimed to assess pancreatic 18F-FDG uptake in type 2 diabetes patients and controls using 18F-fluorodeoxylglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT).

Material and methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we enrolled 20 type 2 diabetes patients and 65 controls who had undergone a diagnostic 18F-FDG PET/CT scan and obtained standardized uptake values (SUVs) of pancreas and muscle. Pancreatic SUV was adjusted for background uptake in muscle and for fasting blood glucose concentrations.

Results: The maximum pancreatic SUVs adjusted for background muscle uptake (SUVmax.m) and fasting blood glucose concentration (SUVglucose) were significantly higher in diabetes patients compared to controls (median 2.86 [IQR 2.24-4.36] compared to 2.15 [IQR 1.51-2.83], p = 0.006 and median 2.76 [IQR 1.18-4.34] compared to 1.91 [IQR 1.27-2.55], p<0.001, respectively). In linear regression adjusting for age and body mass index, diabetes remained the main predictor of SUVmax.m and SUVglucose.

Conclusion: Pancreatic 18F-FDG uptake adjusted for background muscle uptake and fasting blood glucose concentration was significantly increased in type 2 diabetes patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / pathology*
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / chemistry
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Pancreas / metabolism*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / chemistry
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / metabolism*
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18

Grants and funding

M.N. is supported by a ZonMw VIDI grant 2013 (016.146.327), ICaR-VU talent grant and CVON Young Talent grant 2012. D.H.R. is supported by a Junior Fellowship of the Dutch Diabetes Foundation (2015.81.1840) and by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Global Fellowship (708193). These are all the funding or sources of support received during this specific study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.