High ¹⁸F-FDG Uptake in Synthetic Aortic Vascular Grafts on PET/CT in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients

FDG Uptake by Prosthetic Arterial Grafts in Large Vessel Vasculitis Is Not Specific for Active Disease

“…This is supported by a study in which 10/12 synthetic grafts had increased 18 F-FDG uptake. The SUV max of the one confirmed infected graft was 8.0, whilst SUVs of the non-infected grafts were 1.7-6.5 [20]. Our findings in TA are similar, with a mean graft SUV max of 4.21 ± 1.46 (range 1.2-8.0), normal graft anatomy and negative blood cultures.…”

“…This is turn reflects the rarity of LVV, falling rates of surgical intervention and increasing use of endovascular aneurysm repair. In the latter, the stent grafts used are less likely to demonstrate 18 F-FDG-PET/CT avidity [20]. We tried to minimise these limitations by using a multicentre study design incorporating two of the largest TA patient cohorts in Europe.…”

“…Synthetic graft material is 18 F-FDG avid in up to 92% of non-infected patients following surgery for non-inflammatory aneurysm repair or bypass of obstructive arterial atherosclerosis [17,19,20].…”

Nuclear imaging for patients with a suspicion of infective endocarditis: Be part of the team!

“…In particular, high focal FDG uptake can be found in perivalvular regions where biological glue has been used. 13 In ambiguous cases, LS can help us to discriminate between infection and inflammation. Accumulation of radiolabeled leukocytes in perivalvular regions is highly specific for active infective process.…”

Atherosclerotic plaque imaging by PET/CT; can inactive, active and mixed plaques be discerned?

“…In a recent study by the same group [40], it was shown that graft infection was a serious complication to vascular surgery. FDG uptake was assessed in vascular grafts in 2,045 patients with or without symptoms of graft infection.…”