PET (positron emission tomography)/CT (computed tomography) may find vulnerable aortic plaque:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Combined PET and CT scans may be able to predict severe cadiovascular events by revealing early pathological changes in the aortic wall and blood vessels. A certain percentage of the sites that uptake the radiopharmaceutical FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) potentially correspond to high risk or vulnerable atherosclerotic lesions that could lead to future cardiovascular events, said lead researcher Mitsuaki Tatsumi, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He added that follow-up clinical and pathological studies are needed to prove the hypothesis. The findings were revealed at this month's Society of Nuclear Medicine's annual meeting in Los Angeles, California.