Table 2 Comparison of FDG-PET/CT and CTA features in each group by aortic segment.

From: Specific features to differentiate Giant cell arteritis aortitis from aortic atheroma using FDG-PET/CT

 

GCA aortitis

n = 29

Aortic atheroma

n = 66

p

Ascending thoracic aorta

Visual aortic grading n(%)

Grade 0

0 (0%)

5 (7.6%)

0.32

Grade 1

3 (10.3%)

52 (78.8%)

 < 0.0001

Grade 2

7 (24.1%)

9 (13.6%)

0.21

Grade 3

19 (65.6%)

0 (0%)

 < 0.0001

Quantitative 18FDG uptake analysis mean (± SD)

SUVmax

4.6 (± 1.5)

2.7 (± 0.4)

 < 0.0001

∆SUV

2.8 (± 1.5)

0.9 (± 0.4)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax blood

2.6 (± 1.0)

1.5 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax liver

1.4 (± 0.5)

0.8 (± 0.1)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax spleen

1.7 (± 0.5)

1.1 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax lung

8.5 (± 3.3)

6.3 (± 1.8)

 < 0.0001

Aortic CT analysis

Mean aortic diameter (mm) (± SD)

36.0 (± 5.1)

34.7 (± 3.3)

0.15

Mean aortic wall thickening (mm) (± SD)

3.0 (± 1.6)

1.5 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

Mean Muto ratio (± SD)

16.5 (± 6.1)

8.6 (± 2.2)

 < 0.0001

Aortic atheroma semi-quantitative ranging ≥ 1 n (%)

2 (6.9%)

3 (4.5%)

0.64

Mean aortic calcification score (± SD)

0.4 (± 0.6)

0.4 (± 0.6)

0.82

Aorta arch

Visual aortic grading n(%)

Grade 0

0 (0%)

4 (6.1%)

0.31

Grade 1

2 (6.9%)

48 (72.7%)

 < 0.0001

Grade 2

8 (27.6%)

14 (21.2%)

0.80

Grade 3

19 (65.6%)

0 (0%)

 < 0.0001

Quantitative 18FDG uptake analysis mean (± SD)

SUVmax

4.3 (± 1.5)

2.7 (± 0.5)

 < 0.0001

∆SUV

2.5 (± 1.5)

0.9 (± 0.4)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax blood

2.5 (± 1.0)

1.6 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax liver

1.4 (± 0.5)

0.9 (± 0.1)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax spleen

1.6 (± 0.5)

1.1 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax lung

7.8 (± 2.7)

6.5 (± 1.8)

0.006

Aortic CT analysis

Mean aortic diameter (mm) (± SD)

30.3 (± 4.2)

27.8 (± 2.9)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic wall thickening (mm) (± SD)

2.6 (± 1.2)

1.5 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

Mean Muto ratio (± SD)

17.1 (± 5.1)

10.7 (± 2.4)

 < 0.0001

Aortic atheroma semi-quantitative ranging ≥ 1 n (%)

7 (24.1%)

59 (89.4%)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic calcification score (± SD)

0.9 (± 0.9)

1.5 (± 0.6)

0.0003

Descending thoracic aorta

Visual aortic grading n(%)

Grade 0

0 (0%)

5 (7.6%)

0.32

Grade 1

1 (3.4%)

48 (72.7%)

 < 0.0001

Grade 2

7 (24.1%)

13 (19.7%)

0.62

Grade 3

21 (72.4%)

0 (0%)

 < 0.0001

Quantitative 18FDG uptake analysis mean (± SD)

SUVmax

4.8 (± 1.7)

2.7 (± 0.5)

 < 0.0001

∆SUV

3.0 (± 1.7)

0.9 (± 0.4)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax blood

2.7 (± 1.3)

1.5 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax liver

1.5 (± 0.6)

0.8 (± 0.1)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax spleen

1.8 (± 0.7)

1.1 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax lung

8.7 (± 3.7)

6.5 (± 1.9)

0.0003

Aortic CT analysis

Mean aortic diameter (mm) (± SD)

29.8 (± 3.3)

26.1 (± 3.0)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic wall thickening (mm) (± SD)

3.2 (± 1.1)

1.4 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

Mean Muto ratio (± SD)

21.1 (± 6.2)

10.8 (± 2.3)

 < 0.0001

Aortic atheroma semi-quantitative ranging ≥ 1 n (%)

5 (17.2%)

65 (98.5%)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic calcification score (± SD)

0.6 (± 0.7)

1.0 (± 0.6)

0.003

Supra renal abdominal aorta

Visual aortic grading n(%)

Grade 0

2 (6.9%)

12 (18.2%)

0.21

Grade 1

2 (6.9%)

47 (71.2%)

 < 0.0001

Grade 2

6 (20.7%)

7 (10.6%)

0.19

Grade 3

19 (65.6%)

0 (0%)

 < 0.0001

Quantitative 18FDG uptake analysis mean (± SD)

SUVmax

4.9 (± 2.1)

2.7 (± 0.5)

 < 0.0001

∆SUV

3.0 (± 2.1)

0.8 (± 0.4)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax blood

2.7 (± 1.3)

1.4 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax liver

1.5 (± 0.7)

0.8 (± 0.1)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax spleen

1.8 (± 0.7)

1.1 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax lung

8.9 (± 4.2)

6.4 (± 1.7)

 < 0.0001

Aortic CT analysis

Mean aortic diameter (mm) (± SD)

26.1 (± 2.8)

22.6 (± 3.4)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic wall thickening (mm) (± SD)

3.0 (± 1.2)

135 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

Mean Muto ratio (± SD)

22.8 (± 8.9)

11.4 (± 2.5)

 < 0.0001

Aortic atheroma semi-quantitative ranging ≥ 1 n (%)

10 (34.5%)

63 (95.5%)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic calcification score (± SD)

0.8 (± 0.7)

1.2 (± 0.6)

0.03

Infra renal abdominal aorta

Visual aortic grading n(%)

Grade 0

2 (6.9%)

14 (21.2%)

0.07

Grade 1

2 (6.9%)

51 (77.3%)

 < 0.0001

Grade 2

5 (17.2%)

1 (1.5%)

0.009

Grade 3

20 (69.0%)

0 (0%)

 < 0.0001

Quantitative 18FDG uptake analysis mean (± SD)

SUVmax

4.2 (± 1.4)

2.6 (± 0.5)

 < 0.0001

∆SUV

2.3 (± 1.3)

0.7 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax blood

2.2 (± 0.7)

1.4 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax liver

1.3 (± 0.4)

0.8 (± 0.1)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax spleen

1.5 (± 0.4)

1.0 (± 0.2)

 < 0.0001

TBRmax lung

7.6 (± 2.8)

6.1 (± 1.7)

0.002

Aortic CT analysis

Mean aortic diameter (mm) (± SD)

20.6 (± 2.6)

18.5 (± 2.4)

0.001

Mean aortic wall thickening (mm) (± SD)

2.7 (± 1.0)

1.2 (± 0.3)

 < 0.0001

Mean Muto ratio (± SD)

26.2 (± 8.2)

12.7 (± 3.1)

 < 0.0001

Aortic atheroma semi-quantitative ranging ≥ 1 n (%)

12 (41.4%)

62 (93.9%)

 < 0.0001

Mean aortic calcification score (± SD)

1.0 (± 0.7)

1.4 (± 0.5)

0.02

  1. SUV standardized uptake value, TBR target to background ratio, ∆SUV delta standardized uptake value.
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