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- Title
Are <sup>18</sup>F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography results reliable in patients with ascending aortic grafts? A prospective study in non-infected patients.
- Authors
Martínez-López, Daniel; Alfonso, Begoña Rodríguez; Martínez, Antonio Ramos; López, Carlos Esteban Martín; Soto, Juan Esteban de Villarreal; Rosado, Elsa Carolina Ríos; García, Susana Villar; Mosquera, Víctor Manuel Ospina; Fiz, Santiago Serrano; Lázaro, Raúl Burgos; García-Pavía, Pablo; Casanovas, Mercedes Mitjavila; Gil, Alberto Forteza
- Abstract
Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Our goal was to define characteristic patterns of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in non-infected patients with ascending aortic prosthetic grafts during the first year after surgery. METHODS 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) was performed at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively in 26 uninfected patients. Clinical, analytical and microbiological (blood culture) assessments were performed to confirm the absence of infection. FDG uptake intensity [measured through maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and the target-to-background ratio] and distribution patterns were obtained. Models of generalized estimating equations were used to assess the evolution of the SUVmax over time. The results were compared to those in our endocarditis-over-ascending-aortic-graft series database. The receiver operating characteristic curves of the control group and the 12-month group were assessed. RESULTS All patients showed increased uptake in all areas. The uptake pattern was heterogeneous in 47.4%, 43.5% and 42.3% at 3, 6 and 12 months. The means and standard deviations of the SUVmax in the graft were 4.80 (±0.99), 4.28 (±0.88) and 4.14 (±0.87) at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. A comparison of all values obtained in the 6th and 12th months compared to those from the 3rd month revealed a slow decrease that may persist after the first year. The cut-off value of SUVmax of 4.24 had an overall sensitivity of 84.6% and specificity of 57.7% for patients seen at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Non-infected ascending aortic grafts showed no predominant uptake pattern; they also showed increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose activity that could persist beyond the first year. Caution is therefore recommended when interpreting PET/CT images obtained during the first year after surgery.
- Subjects
POSITRON emission tomography; AORTA; RECEIVER operating characteristic curves; COMPUTED tomography; GENERALIZED estimating equations
- Publication
European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 2021, Vol 60, Issue 1, p148
- ISSN
1010-7940
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/ejcts/ezab017