Role of FDG-PET/CT in Assessing the Correlation Between Blood Pressure and Myocardial Metabolic Uptake

Objective(s): We aimed to assess the association between blood pressure and LV myocardial uptake of FDG, hypothesizing that subjects with raised blood pressure would have higher FDG uptake. Methods: We analyzed 86 healthy controls who underwent PET/CT imaging 180 minutes following FDG (4 MBq/Kg) administration. LV myocardial analysis was performed on axial sections using standard operator guided computer software (OsiriX MD). The average LV myocardial SUVmean (MSUVmean) was calculated for each subject. Subjects were assessed according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines for high blood pressure in adults. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was calculated for each patient. Regression models were employed for statistical analysis.  Results: The association of MSUVmean was more pronounced with DP (r=0.32, p=0.003) than SP (r=0.28, p=0.010); MABP was comparable (r=0.33, p=0.002). Correlations of MSUVmean with categorized BPs were: normal SP (r=0.27, p=0.010), elevated SP (r=0.28, p=0.009), stage 1 SP (r=0.27, p=0.010), stage 2 SP (r=0.28, p=0.008); normal DP (r=0.33, p=0.001), stage 1 DP (r=0.34, p=0.001), stage 2 DP (r=0.35, p=0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated DP (p=0.006), MABP (p=0.007), and SP (0.026). Conclusion: LV myocardial FDG uptake was higher in subjects with elevated blood pressure and correlated positively with SBP and in particular DBP and MABP.