Relation between thoracic aortic inflammation and features of plaque vulnerability in the coronary tree in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. An FDG-positron emission tomography and optical coherence tomography study.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the relationship between aortic inflammation as assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) and features of plaque vulnerability as assessed by frequency domain-optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT).

METHODS:

We enrolled 30 consecutive non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. All patients underwent three-vessel OCT before intervention and 18F-FDG-PET before discharge. Univariable and C-reactive protein (CRP)-adjusted linear regression analyses were performed between features of vulnerability [namely:lipid-rich plaques with and without macrophages and thin cap fibroatheromas (TCFA)] and 18F-FDG uptake in both ascending (AA) and descending aorta (DA) [measured either as averaged mean and maximum target-to-blood ratio (TBR) or as active slices (TBRmax ≥ 1.6)].

RESULTS:

Mean age was 62 years, and 26 patients were male. On univariable linear regression analysis TBRmean and TBRmax in DA was associated with the number of lipid-rich plaques (β = 4.22; 95%CI 0.05-8.39; p = 0.047 and β = 3.72; 95%CI 1.14-6.30; p = 0.006, respectively). TBRmax in DA was also associated with the number of lipid-rich plaques containing macrophages (β = 2.40; 95%CI 0.07-4.72; p = 0.044). A significant CRP adjusted linear association between the TBRmax in DA and the number of lipid-rich plaques was observed (CRP-adjusted β = 3.58; 95%CI -0.91-6.25; p = 0.01). TBRmax in DA showed a trend towards significant CRP-adjusted association with number of lipid-rich plaques with macrophages (CRP-adjusted β = 2.30; 95%CI -0.11-4.71; p = 0.06). We also observed a CRP-adjusted (β = 2.34; 95%CI 0.22-4.47; p = 0.031) linear association between the number of active slices in DA and the number of lipid-rich plaques. No relation was found between FDG uptake in the aorta and the number of TCFAs.

CONCLUSIONS:

In patients with first NSTEACS, 18F-FDG uptake in DA is correlated with the number of OCT detected lipid-rich plaques with or without macrophages. This association may be independent from CRP values.

• Authors: Nevio Taglieri, Cristina Nanni, Gabriele Ghetti, Rachele Bonfiglioli, Francesco Saia, Maria Letizia Bacchi Reggiani, Giacomo Maria Lima, Valeria Marco, Francesco Prati, Stefano Fanti, Claudio Rapezzi
• Journal: European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging (Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging) Vol. 44 Issue 11 Pg. 1878-1887 (Oct 2017) ISSN: 1619-7089 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 28584972 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Fluorodeoxyglucose F18

Topics

• Acute Coronary Syndrome (diagnostic imaging, surgery)
• Adult
• Aorta, Thoracic (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Coronary Angiography (methods, standards)
• Female
• Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
• Plaque, Atherosclerotic (diagnostic imaging)
• Positron-Emission Tomography (methods, standards)
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Tomography, Optical Coherence (methods, standards)