| Autor: |
Høilund-Carlsen PF; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark.; Research Unit of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark., Piri R; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark.; Research Unit of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark., Gerke O; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark.; Research Unit of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark., Sturek M; Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA., Werner TJ; Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA., Revheim ME; Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway.; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo, Norway., Alavi A; Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. |
| Abstrakt: |
The method of 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) of atherosclerosis was introduced 12 years ago. This approach is particularly interesting because it demonstrates microcalcification as an incipient sign of atherosclerosis before the development of arterial wall macrocalcification detectable by CT. However, this method has not yet found its place in the clinical routine. The more exact association between NaF uptake and future arterial calcification is not fully understood, and it remains unclear to what extent NaF-PET may replace or significantly improve clinical cardiovascular risk scoring. The first 10 years of publications in the field were characterized by heterogeneity at multiple levels, and it is not clear how the method may contribute to triage and management of patients with atherosclerosis, including monitoring effects of anti-atherosclerosis intervention. The present review summarizes findings from the recent 2¾ years including the ability of NaF-PET imaging to assess disease progress and evaluate response to treatment. Despite valuable new information, pertinent questions remain unanswered, not least due to a pronounced lack of standardization within the field and of well-designed long-term studies illuminating the natural history of atherosclerosis and effects of intervention. |
