This study was aimed to investigate the usefulness of (18)F-FDG-PET to differentiate vascular
inflammation and to determine the effect of
rosuvastatin. Eight subjects were recruited and were divided according to their health status in three groups; 3 healthy subjects, 3 patients with
hypercholesterolemia and 2 patients with
stable angina pectoris. Hypercholesterolemic patients were submitted immediately after their recruitment to
rosuvastatin treatment (20 mg/d). Two PET/CT measurements were made throughout the course of the study, one at baseline and the second 12 months later. Our results showed that the ratio of calcified arteries to total analyzed arteries segments were 23%, 36% and 44% for healthy, hypercholesterolemic and
stable angina patients respectively. Healthy subjects present, at baseline, a high level of vascular
inflammation as measured by (18)F-FDG uptake in both calcified and non-calcified segments of the arteries. This vascular
inflammation increases as a function of the cardiovascular risk factors. After the 12-month follow-up period, non-calcified arteries showed a significant increase of (18)F-FDG uptake in both healthy, hypercholesterolemic and
stable angina patients. However, the highest increase was noted for the healthy subjects; (50% increase, p<0.0001), while hypercholesterolemic patients under
rosuvastatin showed only 25% increase of (18)F-FDG uptake (p<0.0001). This study confirms the usefulness of (18)F-FDG measurement to localize and quantify
arterial inflammation in each artery segments and as a function of the CVD risk factors.
Rosuvastatin may have a protective effect against
arterial inflammation however; other studies with higher
rosuvastatin doses (>20 mg/d) are needed to confirm this beneficial effect.