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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Open Access 14-04-2025 | Positron Emission Tomography | Original Article

Relation between resting amygdala activity and cardiovascular events in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis

Authors: Sou Otsuki, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Atsushi Michael Kimura, Kosei Nakamura, Mikhail Ratanov, Rie Akagawa, Hironori Furuse, Naomasa Suzuki, Yasuhiro Ikami, Yuki Hasegawa, Masaomi Chinushi, Hitoshi Shimada, Takayuki Inomata

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous studies indicate amygdala activity (AmygA) measured by FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) predicts the risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. However, AmygA measurement use for predicting the prognosis of patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between AmygA and cardiovascular events in patients with CS.

Methods

Consecutive 40 patients with CS who underwent FDG-PET were identified retrospectively. Cardiovascular events included ventricular tachyarrhythmias and heart failure hospitalizations. We examined the association between AmygA and cardiovascular events and investigated the timing of FDG-PET influence on AmygA measurements.

Results

During a follow-up of 4.5 (2.5–7.7) years, 14 (35%) patients experienced cardiovascular events. Left-AmygA was a stronger cardiovascular event predictor than the Right-AmygA, and incidences were significantly higher in the high left-AmygA group than low group (log-rank P = 0.018). Multivariable analysis revealed left-AmygA augmentation (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.76 per 0.1 increase, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–2.87, P = 0.016) was the only independent predictor of cardiovascular event. Among the 40 patients, 32 underwent multiple PET-scans. No significant difference was found between the AmygA value on the first PET-scan and the mean on multiple PET scans, and the correlation coefficient was 0.93 (P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed the mean left-AmygA value was the only independent predictor of cardiovascular event (P = 0.011).

Conclusions

High left-AmygA was associated with the higher rates of cardiovascular events in patients with CS. AmygA would be a prognostic biomarker regardless of the PET-scan timing.
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Metadata
Title
Relation between resting amygdala activity and cardiovascular events in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis
Authors
Sou Otsuki
Masahiro Hatakeyama
Atsushi Michael Kimura
Kosei Nakamura
Mikhail Ratanov
Rie Akagawa
Hironori Furuse
Naomasa Suzuki
Yasuhiro Ikami
Yuki Hasegawa
Masaomi Chinushi
Hitoshi Shimada
Takayuki Inomata
Publication date
14-04-2025
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-025-07266-3