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CC BY 4.0 · World J Nucl Med 2025; 24(01): 064-070
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1795100
Original Article

Serum Albumin Alters [18F]FDG Activity in the Liver and Blood Pool

Authors

  • Wai Ip Li 

    1   Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

  • Kwok Sing Ng

    1   Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

  • Wai Chung Wong

    1   Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

  • Koon Kiu Ng

    1   Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

  • Ting Kun Au Yong

    1   Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

  • Boom Ting Kung

    1   Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong
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Abstract

Objective This study aims to investigate the correlation between the 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) activity of the liver and blood pool, and the serum albumin.

Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult patients who underwent [18F]FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography at the Nuclear Medicine Unit of a hospital in Hong Kong between January 1, 2023, and March 31, 2023. The mean standardized uptake value normalized to lean body mass (SULmean) was measured in the liver and blood pool. Pearson's correlation analyses between the SULmean of reference regions and serum albumin were performed. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the effects of serum albumin and other parameters as the independent predictors on SULmean of the reference regions.

Results A total of 146 patients were included, with their SULmean of the liver and blood pool showing significantly positive correlations with serum albumin (r = 0.393, p < 0.001 and r = 0.207, p = 0.012, respectively). Multiple linear regression analyses confirmed serum albumin as an independent variable on SULmean of the liver and blood pool (p < 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively).

Conclusion Serum albumin alters [18F]FDG biodistribution in the liver and blood pool. The decrease in liver background activity in patients with low serum albumin may produce a higher false-positive rate of lesion detection, particularly when there is a drop of serum albumin in serial scans. Nuclear medicine physicians should be cautious of image interpretation.

Keywords

FDG - PET/CT - biodistribution - albumin - correlation - SUL

Authors' Contributions

W.I.L. and K.S.N. designed the study. W.I.L. acquired, analyzed, and interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. K.S.N., W.C.W., K.K.N., T.K.A.Y., and B.T.K. critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. W.I.L., K.S.N., W.C.W., K.K.N., T.K.A.Y., and B.T.K. had full access to the data, contributed to the study, approved the final version for publication, and take responsibility for its accuracy and integrity.


Ethical Approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Central Institutional Review Board of the Hospital Authority, Hong Kong (reference number: CIRB-2024-009-4). Informed consent was waived.




Publication History

Article published online:
19 November 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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