Relationship between histopathological features of non-infectious aortitis and the results of pre-operative 18F-FDG-PET/CT: a retrospective study of 16 patients.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed-tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) findings before surgery in patients with active, histologically confirmed aortitis, and to correlate the degree of arterial wall inflammation with PETVAS score.

METHODS: This was a multiple-centre retrospective study including cases with histologically proven active, non-infectious aortitis who had a 18FDG-PET/CT performed within one year before surgery for aneurysm repair. PETVAS score was determined by radiologists blinded to the pathology findings. Cardiovascular pathologists reviewed aortic tissue samples and graded the degree of inflammation in the vessel wall.

RESULTS: Sixteen patients were included (8 giant cell arteritis, 4 clinically isolated aortitis, 2 Takayasu's arteritis, 1 relapsing polychondritis, and 1 rheumatoid arthritis). In 5/16 (31%) patients, 18FDG-PET/CT did not detect the presence of aortic inflammation; two of whom were being treated with glucocorticoids at the time of procedure. Ascending thoracic and abdominal aorta had the highest FDG uptake among the affected territories. Patients without active aortitis on 18FDG-PET/CT were significantly older (p=0.027), had a lower PETVAS score (p=0.007), and had a lower degree of adventitial inflammation (p=0.035). In contrast, there was no difference between 18FDG-PET/CT active and inactive aortitis patients as regards the timing between PET/CT and surgery, serum CRP level (during 18FDG-PET/CT) and, FDG uptake per study site.

CONCLUSIONS: In histologically proved aortitis, 18FDG-PET/CT before surgery did not detect vascular inflammation in 31% patients, and PETVAS score correlated with the degree of adventitial histopathologic inflammation.