(18)F-FDG PET scanning of abdominal aortic aneurysms and correlation with molecular characteristics: a systematic review.
EJNMMI Res 2015;
5:76. [PMID:
26695768 PMCID:
PMC4688285 DOI:
10.1186/s13550-015-0153-8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to give an overview of studies investigating the role of fludeoxyglucose F18 (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scanning in patients with aortic aneurysms with a focus on molecular characteristics of the aneurysm wall.
Methods
MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database were searched for relevant articles. After inclusion and exclusion, we selected 18 relevant articles reporting on 18F-FDG PET scanning of aortic aneurysms.
Results
The sample size of studies is limited, and there are no standardized imaging protocols and quantification methods. 18F-FDG PET scanning was shown to display molecular characteristics of the aortic wall. Different studies showed contradictory findings of aortic 18F-FDG uptake in aneurysm patients compared to controls.
Conclusions
Non-invasively determining molecular characteristics of aortic wall weakening might lead to better rupture and growth prediction. This might influence the decision of the surgeon between conservative and surgical treatment of aneurysms. To date, there is conflicted evidence regarding the use of 18F-FDG PET scanning to predict aneurysm rupture and growth. The role of 18F-FDG PET scanning in rupture risk prediction needs to be further investigated, and standardized imaging protocols and quantification methods need to be implemented.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13550-015-0153-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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