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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Quantification of Atherosclerotic Plaque Activity and Vascular Inflammation using [18-F] Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (FDG-PET/CT)
10:02

Quantification of Atherosclerotic Plaque Activity and Vascular Inflammation using [18-F] Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (FDG-PET/CT)

Published on: May 2, 2012

PET/CT for atherosclerotic plaque imaging

S Ben-Haim1, O Israel

  • 1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. simona@ben-haim.com

The Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging : Official Publication of the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine (AIMN) [And] the International Association of Radiopharmacology (IAR), [And] Section of the Society Of
|March 25, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Assessing vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques is crucial for preventing heart attack and stroke. Fluodeoxyglucose imaging shows promise in evaluating plaque stability, offering an alternative to traditional angiography for vulnerable plaque detection.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Atherosclerosis is a major global cause of death.
  • Plaque rupture leading to thrombosis underlies myocardial infarction and stroke.
  • Traditional angiography visualizes arterial lumen but not plaque composition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of fluodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging in atherosclerosis assessment.
  • To compare FDG imaging with other modalities for detecting vulnerable plaques.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on FDG imaging in atherosclerosis.
  • Comparison of FDG imaging characteristics with other plaque imaging techniques.

Main Results:

  • FDG uptake can indicate plaque inflammation and instability.
  • FDG imaging may identify plaques at higher risk of rupture.
  • Comparison with modalities like MRI and PET.

Conclusions:

  • FDG imaging is a potential tool for assessing vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.
  • It offers insights into plaque composition and inflammatory activity.
  • Further research is needed to establish its clinical utility compared to existing methods.

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