Normal imaging findings after aortic valve implantation on 18 F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography

• Published in: Journal of nuclear cardiology 2021-10, Vol.28 (5), p.2258
• Main Authors: Wahadat, Ali R, Tanis, Wilco, Scholtens, Asbjørn M, Bekker, Margreet, Graven, Laura H, Swart, Laurens E, den Harder, Annemarie M, Lam, Marnix G E H, de Heer, Linda M, Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W, Budde, Ricardo P J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aortic Valve Disease - diagnosis; Aortic Valve Disease - diagnostic imaging; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - administration & dosage; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - therapeutic use; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography - methods; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography - statistics & numerical data; Prosthesis Implantation - methods; Prosthesis Implantation - statistics & numerical data; Radiopharmaceuticals - administration & dosage; Radiopharmaceuticals - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1532-6551

To determine the normal perivalvular F-Fluorodeoxyglucose ( F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) within one year after aortic prosthetic heart valve (PHV) implantation. Patients with uncomplicated aortic PHV implantation were prospectively included and underwent F-FDG PET/CT at either 5 (± 1) weeks (group 1), 12 (± 2) weeks (group 2) or 52 (± 8) weeks (group 3) after implantation. F-FDG uptake around the PHV was scored qualitatively (none/low/intermediate/high) and quantitatively by measuring the maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUV ) and target to background ratio (SUV ). In total, 37 patients (group 1: n = 12, group 2: n = 12, group 3: n = 13) (mean age 66 ± 8 years) were prospectively included. Perivalvular F-FDG uptake was low (8/12 (67%)) and intermediate (4/12 (33%)) in group 1, low (7/12 (58%)) and intermediate (5/12 (42%)) in group 2, and low (8/13 (62%)) and intermediate (5/13 (38%)) in group 3 (P = 0.91). SUV was 4.1 ± 0.7, 4.6 ± 0.9 and 3.8 ± 0.7 (mean ± SD, P = 0.08), and SUV was 2.0 [1.9 to 2.2], 2.0 [1.8 to 2.6], and 1.9 [1.7 to 2.0] (median [IQR], P = 0.81) for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Non-infected aortic PHV have similar low to intermediate perivalvular F-FDG uptake with similar SUV and SUV at 5, 12, and 52 weeks after implantation.