BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We investigated whether uptake of (18)fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ( @entity419 ) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) correlated to clinical symptoms and presence of @entity7303 ( @entity7303 ) detected by transcranial Doppler in @entity1 with @entity543 . METHODS: @entity419 -PET-CT and @entity7303 detection was performed in consecutive @entity1 with 50% to 99% symptomatic or asymptomatic @entity543 . Uptake index was defined by a target to background ratio (TBR) between maximum standardized uptake value of the carotid plaque and the mean standardized uptake value of the jugular veins. End points for analysis were presence of symptoms and presence of @entity7303 . RESULTS: We included 123 @entity850 derived from 110 @entity1 , 60 symptomatic and 63 asymptomatic. @entity7303 positive (+) lesions were found in 16%. TBR values were higher in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic (median 2.07 versus 1.78; P<0.0018) and in @entity7303 + compared with @entity7303 (median 2.14 versus 1.86; P<0.008). TBR values were also higher in asymptomatic @entity7303 + compared with @entity7303 (median 1.97 versus 1.76; P<0.03). The best TBR threshold value for symptomatic versus asymptomatic, for @entity7303 + versus @entity7303 -, for symptomatic @entity7303 + versus symptomatic or asymptomatic @entity7303 -, and for asymptomatic @entity7303 + versus asymptomatic @entity7303 was 1.9. Sensitivity/specificity were, respectively, 56/77%, 73/63%, 79/64%, and 80/77%. We found a strong correlation between number of @entity7303 and TBR values (   0.26; P=0.0043). CONCLUSIONS: @entity419 -PET-CT accurately detected high-risk carotid plaques. Also given its strong correlation to @entity7303 , @entity419 -PET-CT may be a useful tool in clinical practice.

XXXX -PET-CT: An Imaging Biomarker of High-Risk Carotid Plaques. Correlation to Symptoms and Microembolic Signals.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity7303 :: ('MESH:C566796', 'Disease') :: ['MES- plaques', 'microembolic signals', 'MES'] @entity419 :: ('MESH:D019788', 'Chemical') :: ['18FDG'] @entity850 :: ('MESH:D003251', 'Disease') :: ['stenosis'] @entity543 :: ('MESH:D016893', 'Disease') :: ['carotid stenosis', 'carotid stenoses']
@entity419 :: (MESH:D019788,Chemical) :: ['18FDG']
