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Measurement of airway inflammation in current smokers by positron emission tomography

Garpered, Sabine LU ; Minarik, David LU ; Diaz, Sandra LU ; Valind, Sven LU ; Edenbrandt, Lars LU and Wollmer, Per LU (2019) In Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging 39(6). p.393-398
Abstract

Background: Accumulation of activated neutrophilic leucocytes is known to increase uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) into lung tissue. Available evidence suggests that smokers and subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have neutrophilic inflammation in peripheral airways. The aim of this study was to examine whether current smokers have higher lung tissue uptake of 18F-FDG than never-smokers when correcting for air fraction of the lungs. Methods: We prospectively recruited 33 current smokers and 33 never-smokers among subjects referred for diagnosis or staging of cancer, other than lung cancer, with combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with... (More)

Background: Accumulation of activated neutrophilic leucocytes is known to increase uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) into lung tissue. Available evidence suggests that smokers and subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have neutrophilic inflammation in peripheral airways. The aim of this study was to examine whether current smokers have higher lung tissue uptake of 18F-FDG than never-smokers when correcting for air fraction of the lungs. Methods: We prospectively recruited 33 current smokers and 33 never-smokers among subjects referred for diagnosis or staging of cancer, other than lung cancer, with combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-FDG. Subjects with focal 18F-FDG uptake or focal CT abnormalities in the lungs were excluded. The lungs were segmented in the CT image, and lung density measured. 18F-FDG uptake was measured in the corresponding volume and corrected for air fraction. Results: Lung uptake of 18F-FDG, corrected for air fraction, was 12·5 and 8 per cent higher in the right and left lungs, respectively, in current smokers than in never-smokers (P<0·05). Conclusion Abnormal lung tissue uptake of 18F-FDG may be masked by reduced lung density if the uptake is not related to air fraction. Increased uptake of 18F-FDG in lung tissue in current smokers relative to never-smokers may reflect inflammation in peripheral airways. Measurements of 18F-FDG uptake in the lung tissue may be useful for animal and human studies of airways disease in COPD and the relation between airway and systemic inflammation.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, computed tomography, lung density, positron emission tomography
in
Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging
volume
39
issue
6
pages
393 - 398
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85069633483
  • pmid:31278814
ISSN
1475-0961
DOI
10.1111/cpf.12590
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4d81fe01-2041-4033-92dc-84fa065c8972
date added to LUP
2019-08-22 13:27:45
date last changed
2024-03-03 22:18:07
@article{4d81fe01-2041-4033-92dc-84fa065c8972,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Accumulation of activated neutrophilic leucocytes is known to increase uptake of <sup>18</sup>F-fluorodeoxyglucose (<sup>18</sup>F-FDG) into lung tissue. Available evidence suggests that smokers and subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have neutrophilic inflammation in peripheral airways. The aim of this study was to examine whether current smokers have higher lung tissue uptake of <sup>18</sup>F-FDG than never-smokers when correcting for air fraction of the lungs. Methods: We prospectively recruited 33 current smokers and 33 never-smokers among subjects referred for diagnosis or staging of cancer, other than lung cancer, with combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with <sup>18</sup>F-FDG. Subjects with focal <sup>18</sup>F-FDG uptake or focal CT abnormalities in the lungs were excluded. The lungs were segmented in the CT image, and lung density measured. <sup>18</sup>F-FDG uptake was measured in the corresponding volume and corrected for air fraction. Results: Lung uptake of <sup>18</sup>F-FDG, corrected for air fraction, was 12·5 and 8 per cent higher in the right and left lungs, respectively, in current smokers than in never-smokers (P&lt;0·05). Conclusion Abnormal lung tissue uptake of <sup>18</sup>F-FDG may be masked by reduced lung density if the uptake is not related to air fraction. Increased uptake of <sup>18</sup>F-FDG in lung tissue in current smokers relative to never-smokers may reflect inflammation in peripheral airways. Measurements of <sup>18</sup>F-FDG uptake in the lung tissue may be useful for animal and human studies of airways disease in COPD and the relation between airway and systemic inflammation.</p>}},
  author       = {{Garpered, Sabine and Minarik, David and Diaz, Sandra and Valind, Sven and Edenbrandt, Lars and Wollmer, Per}},
  issn         = {{1475-0961}},
  keywords     = {{chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; computed tomography; lung density; positron emission tomography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{393--398}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging}},
  title        = {{Measurement of airway inflammation in current smokers by positron emission tomography}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12590}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/cpf.12590}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}