18F-FDG PET-CT uptake is a feature of both normal diameter and aneurysmal aortic wall and is not related to aneurysm size

Purpose

Aortic metabolic activity is suggested to correlate with presence and progression of aneurysmal disease, but has been inadequately studied. This study investigates the 2-[¹⁸F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (¹⁸F-FDG) uptake in a population of infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), compared to a matched non-aneurysmal control group.

Methods

The Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography (PET/CT) database was searched for infra-renal AAA. Exclusion criteria were prior repair, vasculitis, and saccular/mycotic thoracic or thoraco-abdominal aneurysms. Matching of 159 non-aneurysmal (<3 cm diameter) controls from the same population was assessed. Infra-renal aortic wall FDG uptake was assessed using visual analysis; maximum standardized uptake value (SUV_max) and target to background mediastinal blood pool ratio (TBR) were documented. Predictors of FDG uptake (age, sex, aortic diameter, hypertension, statin use, and diabetes) were assessed using univariate analysis. Follow-up questionnaires were sent to referring clinicians.

Results

Aneurysms (n?=?151) and controls (n?=?159) were matched (p?>?0.05) for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, smoking status, statin use, and indication for PET/CT. Median aneurysm diameter was 5.0 cm (range 3.2–10.4). On visual analysis there was no significant difference in the overall numbers with increased visual uptake 24 % (36/151) in the aneurysm group vs. 19 % (30/159) in the controls, p?=?ns. SUV_max was slightly lower in the aneurysm group vs. controls (mean (2 SD) 1.75(0.79) vs. 1.84(0.58), p?=?0.02). However there was no difference in TBR between the AAA group and controls (mean (2 SD) 1.03 (0.46) vs. 1.05(0.31), p?=?0.36). During a median 18 (interquartile range 8–35) months’ follow-up 20 were repaired and four were confirmed ruptured.

Conclusions

The level of metabolic activity as assessed by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in infra-renal AAA does not correlate with aortic size and does not differ between aneurysms and matched controls.