The physiological uptake pattern of (18)F-FDG in the left ventricular myocardium of patients without heart disease.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological uptake pattern of (18)F-FDG in the left ventricular myocardium of patients under preparation for tumor FDG-PET. PATIENTS AND METHODS We enrolled 188 patients without cardiac disease. The accumulation patterns were classified as either 'none', 'diffuse', 'focal' or 'focal on diffuse'. When a focal uptake was only observed on the basal wall, then the patterns were classified as having either a 'ring', 'over half' or 'spot' uptake. RESULTS The frequencies of the myocardial FDG uptake patterns were as follows: none, n=52 (27.7%); diffuse, n=63 (33.5%); focal on diffuse, n=40 (21.3%) and focal, n=33 (17.6%). The age, blood glucose level, weight and dose of FDG did not differ significantly for each pattern. The focal and focal on diffuse patterns were seen in 73 patients, and 65 patients had a focal uptake only on the basal wall; ring uptake in 29 patients, over half in 20 and spot uptake in 16 patients. CONCLUSIONS The physiological myocardial uptake showed several patterns. Focal uptake was often seen in patients with cardiac disease, but it did not always indicate an abnormal finding when the accumulation was only on the basal wall.