The role of (F)-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the surveillance of abnormal myocardial energy metabolism and cardiac dysfunction in a rat model of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility and usefulness of 2-deoxy-2-(F)-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography [(F)-FDG PET/CT] as a novel examination in the surveillance of abnormal myocardial energy metabolism and cardiac dysfunction after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Methods: Thirteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham group (n = 4), CPR group (n = 4), and trimetazidine (TMZ) + CPR group (n = 5). The expression levels of the myocardial injury marker cardiac troponin I (CTNI) in serum were tested at 6 hours after CPR or TMZ + CPR. The ejection fraction and fraction shortening were evaluated by echocardiography. (F)-FDG PET/CT was used to measure the FDG uptake and the standardized uptake value (SUV) after CPR or TMZ + CPR for 6 hours. The intermediary carbohydrate metabolites of glycolysis including phosphoenolpyruvate, 3-phospho-D-glycerate, and the lactate/pyruvate ratio were detected through the multiple reaction monitoring approach. Simultaneously, the authors also tested the expression levels of the total adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the key intermediate products of glucose ovidation as alpha ketoglutarate, citrate, and succinate in the myocardium.

Results: The authors found that the aerobic oxidation of glucose was reduced, and the anaerobic glycolysis was significantly enhanced in the myocardium in the early stage of CPR. Meanwhile, the myocardial injury marker CTNI was upregulated considerably ( = 0.014, = 0.021), and the left ventricular function of the animal heart also markedly deteriorated with the downregulation of ATP after CPR. In contrast, myocardial injury and cardiac function were greatly improved with the increase of ATP in the CPR + TMZ group. In addition, aerobic glucose oxidation metabolites were significantly increased ( < 0.05) and anaerobic glycolysis metabolites were significantly decreased ( < 0.05) after CPR in the myocardium. Surprisingly, (F)-FDG PET/CT could track the above changes by detecting the FDG uptake value and the SUV.

Conclusion: Glucose metabolism is an essential factor for myocardial self-repair after CPR. (F) FDG PET/CT, as a non-invasive technology, can monitor myocardial energy metabolism and cardiac function by tracking changes in glucose metabolism after CPR.