ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate that inflammatory atheromatose carotid plaques can be visualized with positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG PET) in symptomatic patients, in order to correlate them with systemic inflammatory markers, such as CRP. METHOD: Fifteen patients with cerebral ischemia due to atherosclerotic carotid disease were studied. 18FDG uptake with PET was considered and blood samples were taken for determining high sensibility C reactive protein (HsCRP). RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 66 years; 11 of them were males (73%) and 4 were females (27%). 18FDG PET was positive in 12 patients (80%), while 100% of the studied population had low risk HsCRP with normal white cell count. CONCLUSIONS: 18FDG PET proves active inflammation in carotid atheromatose plaques. There was no significant correlation between the presence of ahteromatose carotid plaques, HsCRP serum levels, and 18FDG PET study.
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , C-Reactive Protein , Carotid Artery Diseases/blood , Carotid Artery Diseases , Positron-Emission Tomography , Carotid Artery Diseases , Inflammation/blood , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Estudando sessenta e oito doentes portadores de Tuberculose pulmonar com Bacilos-cópia positiva, foi-nos possível determinar a prevalência de Tuberculino-negativos num índice de 61,8%. Comparando esse achado excepcional com as diferentes variáveis, concluimos que essa alta incidência de näo reatores ao P.P.D., foi ocasionada por um estado de imunodeficiência adquirida relacionado, predominantemente, à gravidade da própria doença (formas de apresentaçäo muito avançada de 90,5%)