Vascular inflammation by FDG PET-CT is associated with aortic wall Properties by MRI.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 — Poster Session III
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.	FAES Academic Center	NHLBI	CLIN-15

* FARE Award Winner

Authors

• AS Sadek
• J Dave
• J Hasan
• P Krishnamoorthy
• S Rose
• H Naik
• E Weiner
• MA Ahlman
• DA Bluemke
• NN Mehta

Abstract

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease associated with cardiovascular (CV) events. Aortic vascular inflammation (VI) by [18F] Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) predicts future CV events and is increased in psoriasis. Furthermore, increased aortic wall thickness (WT) and decreased aortic distensibility (AD) by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) predict future CV disease. We sought to understand the relationship between VI, WT and AD PET-CT and MRI exams were obtained in psoriasis (n=53). To measure VI, regions of interest were placed on PET images to measure the maximal aortic standard uptake value (SUVmax). To measure WT, wall boundaries of the aorta were traced on each MRI slice ,and to measure AD, aorta contours were traced throughout the cardiac cycle .The relationship between VI, AD and WT were analyzed for unadjusted (Spearman’s rho) and adjusted (multivariable linear regression) models. CV risk factors were associated with SUVmax, WT and AD (p<0.01 for all).After adjusting for CV risk factors, both WT (β= 8.75 , p <0.001 ), and AD (β= -247, p< .001) were independently associated with VI. In psoriasis, increased VI may be associated with structural and functional vessel abnormalities . Larger ongoing outcome studies will inform biological significance of these findings.

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