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Figure 6 Images obtained by combined positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) machine after administration of fluorine-18–labeled deoxyglucose (FDG) in patients with aortic atheroma. Top row: coronal CT (left), FDG-PET (middle), and fused (right) images. There is no calcium present in the aortic wall on CT. On the PET and fused images grade 1 (arrows) and grade 3 (arrowheads), FDG uptake can be seen in the aortic wall. Bottom row: transaxial CT (left), FDG-PET (middle), and fused (right) images. The CT image shows marked calcification present on the medial side of the descending aorta (arrow), which on the FDG-PET and fused images demonstrates grade 1 FDG uptake (arrows) indicating mild inflammation. Grade 3 FDG uptake is also seen on the lateral side of descending aorta (arrowheads) indicating a higher level of inflammation in this segment of non-calcified vessel wall. Modified, with permission, from Tatsumi et al. (42).