Archive | 2021
The Association Between Coronary 18F-Sodium Fluoride Uptake With Pro-Atherosclerosis Factors in Patients With Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease: A Mono-Centric Pilot Study
Abstract
\n Purpose: 18F-Sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography (PET) is a novel approach to detect and quantify microcalcification in atherosclerosis. Peri-coronary adipose tissue (PCAT) is associated with vascular inflammation and high-risk atherosclerotic plaque. We aimed to assess the association between coronary 18F-NaF uptake with pro-atherosclerosis factors in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) and to explore the systematic vascular osteogenesis in the coronary artery and aorta in these patients. Methods: Patients with multivessel CAD prospectively underwent cardiac computed tomography (CT) and 18F-NaF PET/CT. PCAT density was measured in the coronary artery and the average PCAT value was calculated from the three coronary arteries in each patient. 18F-NaF tissue-to-blood ratios (TBR) in the coronary artery (TBRCoronary) and aorta (TBRAorta) were calculated. Correlations between coronary 18F-NaF uptake with PCAT density, coronary artery calcium (CAC) burden, CAD risk factors, serum biomarkers, and aortic 18F-NaF uptake were evaluated, respectively. Patients were categorized by a median of TBRCoronary 2.49. Results: 100 multivessel CAD patients (64.00 [57.00 - 67.75] years; 76 men) were prospectively recruited. 6010 active aortic segments (TBR ≥ 1.6) were identified. TBRCoronary was significantly associated with the PCAT density (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) and CAC score (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). TBRCoronary was also significantly associated with the TBRAorta (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). In addition, patients with higher TBRCoronary showed elevated PCAT density (-75.89[-79.07 - -70.06] vs -84.54[-90.21 - -79.46]; p < 0.001) and CAC score (1495.20[619.80 - 2225.40] vs 273.75[116.73 - 1198.18]; p < 0.001) in comparsion patients with lower TBRCoronary. TBRCoronary was correlated with the age (r = 0.24, p = 0.019) and the serum troponin I levels (r = 0.22, p = 0.039). There were no significant correlations between TBRCoronary with other conventional CAD risk factors and other serum biomarkers.Conclusion: Coronary 18F-NaF uptake was correlated with the PCAT density. A significant correlation between 18F-NaF uptake in the coronary artery and aorta might indicate a systematic vascular osteogenesis in patients with multivessel CAD.