18F-FDG PET/CT imaging factors that predict ischaemic stroke in cancer patients

Purpose 18 F-FDG PET/CT can acquire both anatomical and functional images in a single session. We investigated which factors of 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging have potential as biomarkers for an increased risk of ischaemic stroke in cancer patients. Methods From among cancer patients presenting with various neurological symptoms and hemiparesis, 134 were selected as eligible for this retrospective analysis. A new infarct lesion on brain MRI within 1 year of FDG PET/CT defined future ischaemic stroke. The target-to-background ratio (TBR) of each arterial segment was used to define arterial inflammation on PET imaging. Abdominal obesity was defined in terms of the area and proportion of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue and total adipose tissue (TAT) on a single CT slice at the umbilical level. Results Ischaemic stroke confirmed by MRI occurred in 30 patients. Patients with stroke had higher TBRs in the carotid arteries and abdominal aorta ( P