Long-term changes of aortic 18F-FDG uptake and calcification in health-screening subjects

We investigated long-term changes in aortic (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake and calcification in health-screening subjects and their relation with atherogenic risk factors.

A total of 94 consecutive subjects (72 men, 22 women; age 47-85 years, mean 57.9 years) participating in a health-screening protocol were evaluated retrospectively. All subjects had follow-up PET/CT scans 3.0-5.8 years (mean 4.1 years) later. We measured (18)F-FDG uptake (maximum SUV) and calcium score (Agatston score) of the ascending, descending thoracic and infrarenal abdominal aorta on PET/CT images. (18)F-FDG uptake and calcium score of the whole aorta (FUWA and CSWA) increased significantly in the follow-up study compared with the initial study (p = 0.02 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed that the change in FUWA per year was significantly associated with visceral fat area, while the change of CSWA per year was significantly associated with age and smoking habit. The degrees of (18)F-FDG uptake and calcium score increases were significantly greater in the abdominal aorta than in the thoracic aorta (p = 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively).

Our data demonstrated the longitudinal progressions of vascular inflammation and calcification of health-screening subjects. Inflammation and calcification were observed to progress significantly faster in the abdominal aorta than in the thoracic aorta. The progressions of vascular inflammation and calcification may be associated with different atherogenic risk factors.