Objective:To investigate the ability of 18F-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT imaging to identify involved myocardium in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with cardiac MRI. Methods:A prospective study was conducted on 50 patients (32 males, 18 females, age (43±13) years) with HCM confirmed by ultrasound or cardiac MRI in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from July 2021 to January 2022. All patients underwent both cardiac 18F-FAPI PET/CT and MRI. The SUV max and maximum target-to-background ratio (TBR max) of the left ventricular myocardium were obtained using post-processing software. Regions with 18F-FAPI uptake not less than predefined thresholds (SUV max 40%, 50%, 60%) were defined as myocardium with positive uptake. The FAPI amount was defined as the product of TBR max and the extent of FAPI-positive uptake (FAPI%). Cardiac MRI post-processing software was used to measure the extent of left ventricular myocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) (expressed as LGE%), native T 1 value, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and myocardial deformation characteristics. Spearman rank correlation analysis was employed to assess the correlation between 18F-FAPI imaging parameters and cardiac MRI parameters, as well as the correlation between FAPI amount and the 5-year risk score for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Linear regression analysis was utilized to identify factors associated with FAPI amount. Results:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake in the left ventricular myocardium was set at 60%, the correlations between FAPI amount, FAPI%, and MRI parameters were optimal ( rs values: from -0.465 to 0.460, all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that HCM duration ( β=0.128, 95% CI: 0.022-0.233, P=0.008), serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels ( β=0.190, 95% CI: 0.099-0.280, P<0.001), and left ventricular ejection fraction ( β=-0.005, 95% CI: -0.011 to 0.000, P=0.041) were independent predictors of FAPI amount. FAPI amount was positively correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score across different thresholds (40%: rs=0.32, P=0.026; 50%: rs=0.29, P=0.039; 60%: rs=0.29, P=0.040). Conclusions:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake is set at 60%, 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging can more effectively identify the involved myocardium in HCM. FAPI amount is correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score in patients with HCM.

Objective:To investigate the ability of 18F-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT imaging to identify involved myocardium in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with cardiac MRI. Methods:A prospective study was conducted on 50 patients (32 males, 18 females, age (43±13) years) with HCM confirmed by ultrasound or cardiac MRI in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from July 2021 to January 2022. All patients underwent both cardiac 18F-FAPI PET/CT and MRI. The SUV max and maximum target-to-background ratio (TBR max) of the left ventricular myocardium were obtained using post-processing software. Regions with 18F-FAPI uptake not less than predefined thresholds (SUV max 40%, 50%, 60%) were defined as myocardium with positive uptake. The FAPI amount was defined as the product of TBR max and the extent of FAPI-positive uptake (FAPI%). Cardiac MRI post-processing software was used to measure the extent of left ventricular myocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) (expressed as LGE%), native T 1 value, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and myocardial deformation characteristics. Spearman rank correlation analysis was employed to assess the correlation between 18F-FAPI imaging parameters and cardiac MRI parameters, as well as the correlation between FAPI amount and the 5-year risk score for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Linear regression analysis was utilized to identify factors associated with FAPI amount. Results:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake in the left ventricular myocardium was set at 60%, the correlations between FAPI amount, FAPI%, and MRI parameters were optimal ( rs values: from -0.465 to 0.460, all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that HCM duration ( β=0.128, 95% CI: 0.022-0.233, P=0.008), serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels ( β=0.190, 95% CI: 0.099-0.280, P<0.001), and left ventricular ejection fraction ( β=-0.005, 95% CI: -0.011 to 0.000, P=0.041) were independent predictors of FAPI amount. FAPI amount was positively correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score across different thresholds (40%: rs=0.32, P=0.026; 50%: rs=0.29, P=0.039; 60%: rs=0.29, P=0.040). Conclusions:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake is set at 60%, 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging can more effectively identify the involved myocardium in HCM. FAPI amount is correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score in patients with HCM.

Objective:To investigate the accuracy of free-breathing CT in evaluating the volume and shape of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), and further explore the characteristics of EAT volume and activity in patients with atrial fibrillation using 18F-FDG PET/CT " one-stop" imaging. Methods:(1) Retrospective analysis was performed on 20 patients (16 males, 4 females, age: 33-86 (61.1±14.2) years) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging and without obvious diseases affecting the images of the heart and surrounding lungs between March 2020 and May 2020 in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital. Free-breathing CT and breath-hold high resolution CT (HRCT) images were reviewed. Spearman rank correlation analysis, Bland-Altman consistency analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to evaluate the correlation and consistency of the EAT volume and shape, as well as the repeatability of the two operators′ measurements. (2) Prospective analysis was conducted to compare the differences in EAT volume and 18F-FDG uptake values between 20 patients (6 males, 14 females, age: 52-76 (66.0±6.4) years) with atrial fibrillation and 10 healthy controls (3 males, 7 females, age: 59-69 (66.0±3.6) years) collected between August 2017 and August 2018 in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences in EAT volume and 18F-FDG SUV max between patients with atrial fibrillation and healthy controls. EAT volume measurement was conducted by the combination of Mimics Research 21.0 software and manual analysis. The shape of EAT was automatically calculated by the same software to obtain the maximum length of the projection of the three-dimensional (3D) model on the reference axes ( x, y, z). SUV max of EAT was manually measured. Results:The measurements of EAT volume had good repeatability (intra-operator ICC=0.999; inter-operator ICC=0.997). There was a good correlation and a good consistency between EAT volumes measured by free-breathing CT and breath-hold HRCT (96.6 (79.9, 136.4) vs 96.2 (80.9, 135.8) ml; rs=0.929, P<0.001); data of 19 cases were within 95% limits of agreement (95% LoA). The maximum projection length of EAT 3D model on the reference coordinate axis also showed good correlation and consistency ( x axis: rs=0.869, P<0.001, data of 19 cases were within 95% LoA; y axis: rs=0.854, P<0.001, data of 18 cases were within 95% LoA; z axis: rs=0.586, P=0.007, data of 20 cases were within 95% LoA). EAT volume of atrial fibrillation group was higher than those of healthy control group (137.2 (113.9, 202.9) vs 94.4 (76.6, 134.4) ml; z=-2.11, P=0.035) and SUV max of EAT in the atrial fibrillation group was higher than that in healthy control group (1.2 (1.1, 1.5) vs 1.1 (1.0, 1.2); z=-2.14, P=0.035). Conclusions:Free-breathing CT and breath-hold HRCT have good correlation, consistency and repeatability in measurement of EAT volume and shape. 18F-FDG PET/CT can be a " one-stop" imaging strategy for the evaluation of EAT volume and activity.

Objective To explore the early(Ⅰ,Ⅱ)in modified radical mastectomy of breast cancer clinical value of preserving intercostobrachial nerve.Methods A retrospective analysis of 62 cases of early breast cancer patients with the clinical data,on intraoperative complete preservation of the intercostobrachial nerve in 46 cases as the observation group,intraoperative resected intercostobrachial nerve in 16 cases as control group,comparative analysis of the two groups after the upper medial arm and axilla skin paresthesia and breast cancer recurrence.Results All 62cases underwent modified radical mastectomy of breast cancer,all patients were cured.The observation group upper medial arm and axillary skin sensory abnormalities in 5 cases(10.9％),significantly lower than the control group of 16 cases(100％)(x2 =19.27,P ＜0.05).A mean follow-up of 1 year,the observation group in upper arm skin party abnormalities in patients with 5 cases,after 1 ～ 3 mongths recovery ;control group of sensory abnormalities were not returned to normal; the two groups were not found in local tumor recurrence or distant metastasis.Conclusion In modified radical mastectomy of breast cancer reserving intercostobrachial nerve was feasible,and could significantly reduce the postoperative lateral medial arm and axilla skin feeling abnormal rate,and improve the quality of life in patients.