TY - JOUR
T1 - Gallium-68 labelled RGD PET/CT imaging of endothelial activation in COVID-19 patients
AU - van Genugten, Evelien A.J.
AU - van Lith, Theresa J.
AU - van den Heuvel, Frederik M.A.
AU - van Steenis, Josee L.
AU - ten Heggeler, Romy M.
AU - Brink, Monique
AU - Rodwell, Laura
AU - Meijer, Frederick J.A.
AU - Lobeek, Daphne
AU - Hagmolen of ten Have, Wanda
AU - van de Veerdonk, Frank L.
AU - Netea, Mihai G.
AU - Prokop, Mathias
AU - Nijveldt, Robin
AU - Tuladhar, Anil M.
AU - Aarntzen, Erik H.J.G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), endothelial cells play a central role and an inadequate response is associated with vascular complications. PET imaging with gallium-68 labelled RGD-peptide (68Ga-RGD) targets αvβ3 integrin expression which allows quantification of endothelial activation. In this single-center, prospective observational study, we included ten hospitalized patients with COVID-19 between October 2020 and January 2021. Patients underwent 68Ga-RGD PET/CT followed by iodine mapping of lung parenchyma. CT-based segmentation of lung parenchyma, carotid arteries and myocardium was used to quantify tracer uptake by calculating standardized uptake values (SUV). Five non-COVID-19 patients were used as reference. The study population was 68.5 (IQR 52.0–74.5) years old, with median oxygen need of 3 l/min (IQR 0.9–4.0). 68Ga-RGD uptake quantified as SUV ± SD was increased in lungs (0.99 ± 0.32 vs. 0.45 ± 0.18, p < 0.01) and myocardium (3.44 ± 1.59 vs. 0.65 ± 0.22, p < 0.01) of COVID-19 patients compared to reference but not in the carotid arteries. Iodine maps showed local variations in parenchymal perfusion but no correlation with SUV. In conclusion, using 68Ga-RGD PET/CT in COVID-19 patients admitted with respiratory symptoms, we demonstrated increased endothelial activation in the lung parenchyma and myocardium. Our findings indicate the involvement of increased and localized endothelial cell activation in the cardiopulmonary system in COVID-19 patients. Trail registration: NCT04596943.
AB - In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), endothelial cells play a central role and an inadequate response is associated with vascular complications. PET imaging with gallium-68 labelled RGD-peptide (68Ga-RGD) targets αvβ3 integrin expression which allows quantification of endothelial activation. In this single-center, prospective observational study, we included ten hospitalized patients with COVID-19 between October 2020 and January 2021. Patients underwent 68Ga-RGD PET/CT followed by iodine mapping of lung parenchyma. CT-based segmentation of lung parenchyma, carotid arteries and myocardium was used to quantify tracer uptake by calculating standardized uptake values (SUV). Five non-COVID-19 patients were used as reference. The study population was 68.5 (IQR 52.0–74.5) years old, with median oxygen need of 3 l/min (IQR 0.9–4.0). 68Ga-RGD uptake quantified as SUV ± SD was increased in lungs (0.99 ± 0.32 vs. 0.45 ± 0.18, p < 0.01) and myocardium (3.44 ± 1.59 vs. 0.65 ± 0.22, p < 0.01) of COVID-19 patients compared to reference but not in the carotid arteries. Iodine maps showed local variations in parenchymal perfusion but no correlation with SUV. In conclusion, using 68Ga-RGD PET/CT in COVID-19 patients admitted with respiratory symptoms, we demonstrated increased endothelial activation in the lung parenchyma and myocardium. Our findings indicate the involvement of increased and localized endothelial cell activation in the cardiopulmonary system in COVID-19 patients. Trail registration: NCT04596943.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165043590&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-023-37390-9
DO - 10.1038/s41598-023-37390-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 37460572
AN - SCOPUS:85165043590
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 13
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
M1 - 11507
ER -