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Nuklearmedizin
DOI: 10.1055/a-2390-2829
Original Article

PSMA – Targeted Clinical Molecular Imaging of Atherosclerosis: Correlation with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

PSMA-gerichtete Atherosklerosebildgebung: Korrelation mit kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren
Julia K. Baude
1   Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
,
Felix M. Mottaghy
1   Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
2   Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands
,
Thorsten Derlin
3   Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
,
Alexander Fischer
4   Philips GmbH Innovative Technologies, Research Laboratories, Aachen, Germany
,
Alexander Heinzel
5   Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Martin-Luther-Universität, Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany (Ringgold ID: RIN14942)
6   Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
,
Jan Bucerius
7   Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medicine Göttingen, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
2   Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands
8   Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands
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Abstract

Aim The early diagnosis of atherosclerotic changes to prevent ischemic events represents a clinical challenge.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) as an established diagnostic in the field of prostate cancer also appears to detect neovascularization and inflammation in other diseases. We hypothesized that it might be also suited for detection of inflammation in atherosclerosis.

Methods We analyzed data of 78 prostate cancer patients who received a PSMA ligand PET/CT for re-staging. The cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) of each patient were documented. Target-to-background-ratios (TBR) were calculated from the individual uptake values for three different sections of thoracic aorta [ascending (AA) and descending aorta (AD), aortic arch (AoAC)]. Statistical analyses included a linear regression analysis with the PSMA ligand uptake values of the different arterial segments versus different CVRF as independent variables.

Results The meanTBRmax was measured highest in the AoAC (1.66 ± 0.33) compared to both other vessel sections (AA: 1.46 ± 0.21, p=0.001; AD: 1.59 ± 0.41, p=0.371). There was a correlation between the PSMA ligand uptake in all measured segments of the aorta and BMI, but only a significant correlation in the ascending aorta (r=0.347, p=0.001). This was confirmed in a subgroup analysis, which showed significantly higher uptake values in preadiposity (BMI >25) and obesity (BMI >30) patients in the ascending aorta (p=0.048).

Conclusion PSMA ligand uptake in the ascending aorta was linked to BMI. PET detection of vascular PSMA ligand uptake may be indicative of vessel wall inflammation to some extent. However, PSMA ligands appear to be less suitable than other tracers for this purpose, given their absent correlation with most established CVRFs.

Keywords

PET - PSMA - Glutamate carboxypeptidase II - Atherosclerosis - Cardiovascular risk factors


Publication History

Received: 28 March 2024

Accepted after revision: 06 August 2024

Article published online:
05 December 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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