PET/CT predicts adverse cardiac events in men with prostate cancer

PET/CT scans used to visualize findings in men with recurrent prostate cancer may also help assess their risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a study published January 22 in Clinical Genitourinary Cancer.In an analysis of imaging among 354 patients, incidental coronary calcification on PET/CT was associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), according to lead author Preet Shaikh, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, and colleagues.“Cardiovascular disease (CV) is common among men with prostate cancer and the leading cause of death in this population. There is a need for CV risk assessment tools that can be easily implemented in the prostate cancer treatment setting,” the group wrote.Coronary arterial calcification is a known predictor of adverse cardiovascular events in the general population. Typically, dedicated cardiac CT scans are used to identify it, with findings reported as coronary artery calcium scores.Recently, small studies have shown that incidental coronary arterial calcification estimated from the CT portion of PET/CT scans may also have prognostic significance, the authors noted. However, whether these findings have predictive value in men with prostate cancer is unknown, they added.To elucidate this, the researchers identified 354 men with prostate cancer who underwent PET/CT at their institution from 2012 to 2017. They culled clinical data and coronary calcification findings from the ...

Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 25, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Subspecialties CT Genitourinary Radiology Source Type: news