18F-FDG PET/CT in vivo Imaging in Examining Inflammation and Apoptosis in the Early-stage Calcification of Atherosclerosis in Rabbits / 中国医学影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose 18F-FDG PET/CT,pathological and immunohistochemical analysis are adopted to explore the value of PET/CT in the early-stage calcification examination of atherosclerosis in rabbits and effects of Pioglitazone in treating early-stage calcification.Material and Methods Sixteen New Zealand male rabbits were randomly divided into two groupsPioglitazone group and control group,witheight rabbits in each group.Atherosclerosis model was established.Rabbits in Pioglitazone group received gavage with Pioglitazone and were raised with high-fat diet for 20 weeks.Blood was drawn to exam high sensitivity C-reactive protein and matrix metalloproteinase-9.PET/CT was used to measure mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax).Rabbit aorta received immunohistochemical,the plaque area,density of macrophage,percentage of calcification area and apoptosis index between the two groups were determined and compared.Results On 20 week,high sensitivity C-reactive protein in Pioglitazone group (4.27±0.43 vs.6.51 ±0.91,P＜0.01),matrix metalloproteinase-9 (41.52± 1.99 vs.62.21 ±3.60,P＜0.05),SUVmean (0.55±0.18 vs.0.68±0.21,P＜0.01)and SUVmax (0.70±0.19 vs.0.82±0.30,P＜0.05) were obviously lower than those in control group.Plaque area,density of macrophage,percentage of calcification area and apoptosis index in control group were obviously higher than those in Pioglitazone group.Plaque area of related artery section was positively correlated with SUVmean (r=0.28,P＜0.01) and SUVmax (r=0.25,P＜0.05).Density of macrophage was positively correlated with SUVmean (r=0.50,P＜0.01) and SUVmax (r=0.46,P＜0.01).Percentage of calcification area was positively correlated with SUVmean (r=0.50,P＜0.01) and SUVmax (r=0.47,P＜0.01).Apoptosis index was positively correlated with SUVmean (r=0.61,P＜0.01)and SUVmax (r=0.60,P＜0.01).Conclusion Inflammation and macrophage apoptosis are of great importance in the early-stage of atherosclerosis.18F-FDG PET/CT imaging can be used to assess minor calcification.Pioglitazone can reduce inflammatory level of atherosclerosis of the experimented animals,inhibiting early-stage calcification.