Relationship between epicardial adipose tissue and coronary function evaluated with [13 N]NH3 PET/CT

Different reports have suggested that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is related to impaired coronary function, myocardial ischemia and major adverse cardiac events. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a relationship between EAT volume (EATvol) and thickness (EATthick) with myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) evaluated with [¹³N]ammonia ([¹³N]NH3) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is present.MBF and MFR were extracted from stress and rest [¹³N]NH3 PET/CT images. EATvol was extracted from unenhanced CT images with a semiautomatic method; EATthick from the same images. Correlation between these parameters, MBF, MFR and other clinicopathological features were investigated. Independent predictors for MBF and MFR were identified.we retrospectively enrolled 164 patients. MFR was reduced in 30 subjects. EATvol and EATthick were significantly different between subjects with normal and impaired MFR in the total cohort (p 0.001 and 0.005, respectively) and also dividing the patients on the basis of CAD history (p 0.017 and 0.038 respectively for patients without CAD, p 0.010 and 0.007 respectively for subjects with CAD). In the total cohort age, diabetes and EATvol were independent predictors of MFR (p 0.036, 0.029 and 0.008, respectively). Presence of diabetes and EATvol were confirmed as independent predictors also in the group of patients without CAD history (p 0.042 and 0.038, respectively), while in subjects with CAD history no features were confirmed. Similarly, EATvol and EATthick were not independent predictors of stress MBF.a correlation with EATvol and impaired MFR has been reported, confirming therefore the idea that EAT may influence coronary function.