Cardiac ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography after thoracic stereotactic body radiation therapy

Background and purpose Previous studies have shown that increased cardiac uptake of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) on positron emission tomography (PET) may be an indicator of myocardial injury after radiotherapy. We reviewed patients treated with thoracic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and established correlations between SBRT dose and observed changes in cardiac FDG-PET uptake. Material and methods Retrospective analysis identified 39 patients that were treated with SBRT for lung tumors close to the heart. Patients were grouped according to whether or not they had changes in cardiac FDG-PET uptake within the planned SBRT field. Results At a median follow-up interval of 39 months (range, 6-81 months), nine patients (23%) showed increased cardiac FDG uptake associated with the heart V₂₀. Of the 19 patients who received 20 Gy to ≥5 cm³ of the heart, nine (47%) developed increased FDG uptake (vs. 0% for the 20 patients who received 20 Gy to <5 cm³) (P = 0.0004), all within the 20-Gy isodose line. Patients with hypercholesterolemia prior to SBRT were also more likely to show increased cardiac FDG uptake (P = 0.0190). Conclusion Increased FDG uptake in the heart after SBRT was observed when the 20 Gy isodose line exceeded 5 cm³ of the heart.