An Update on the Role of Total-Body PET Imaging in the Evaluation of Atherosclerosis

Austin J Borja; Chaitanya Rojulpote; Emily C Hancin; Poul Flemming Høilund-Carlsen; Abass Alavi

doi:10.1016/j.cpet.2020.06.006

An Update on the Role of Total-Body PET Imaging in the Evaluation of Atherosclerosis

PET Clin. 2020 Oct;15(4):477-485. doi: 10.1016/j.cpet.2020.06.006. Epub 2020 Jul 21.

Authors

Austin J Borja¹, Chaitanya Rojulpote², Emily C Hancin³, Poul Flemming Høilund-Carlsen⁴, Abass Alavi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
² Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, 501 S Washington Ave Suite 1000, Scranton, PA 18505, USA.
³ Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
⁴ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winsløws Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Winsløwparken 19, 3. salOdense C - DK-5000, Denmark.
⁵ Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: abass.alavi@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

PMID: 32888546
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2020.06.006

Abstract

Fused PET/computed tomography has demonstrated success in the detection and quantification of atherosclerotic plaques. Recently, total-body PET imaging has demonstrated increased sensitivity and specificity in atherosclerosis. This article reviews the literature regarding this novel imaging technique. Moreover, evidence that has pointed toward 18F-sodium fluoride as the radiotracer of choice over 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose for evaluation of plaque burden is discussed. Finally, a global disease assessment is introduced as an adjunct tool for vascular PET imaging.

Keywords: 18F-FDG; 18F-NaF; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular disease; PET; Plaque burden; Total-body PET imaging.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Atherosclerosis / diagnostic imaging*
Humans
Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*
Whole Body Imaging / methods*