Metabolic activity of visceral fat and immune-related organs evaluated by 18F-FDG PET/CT is associated with the metabolic syndrome

Abstract Background The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is elevated in metabolic syndrome (MS) and is related to the inflammatory activity of visceral adipose tissue (VAT). We investigated whether the metabolic activity in VAT, assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT), is associated with systemic inflammatory status, and related to the number of MS components. Methods 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed in a total of 203 subjects: 59 without an MS component; M(0), 92 with one or two MS components; M(1–2), and 52 with MS. Metabolic activity of VAT was evaluated using the mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) and the maximum SUV (SUVmax). Metabolic activities of immune-related organs such as spleen and bone marrow (BM) were evaluated using the SUVmax. Results VAT SUVmax correlated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and the SUVmax of spleen and BM, which reflect the status of systemic inflammation. Both hsCRP and the SUVmax of the spleen and BM were higher in the MS group than in the M(1–2) or M(0) groups. In VAT, SUVmax increased with increasing number of MS components, while SUVmean decreased. Conclusions The SUVmax of VAT assessed by 18F-FDG PET/CT could reflect the inflammatory activity of VAT which is increased in the MS patients with systemic inflammation. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None