Vct scanners

Clinical screening, anthropometric and biochemical measurements were performed as described.13 Subjects then underwent PET/computerized tomography (CT) measurements in the fasting state using a hybrid General Electric discovery STE and VCT scanners (General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI, USA). In obese patients, the imaging studies were performed before the standard 4‐week very‐low calorie diet that preceded surgery. Following an overnight (10–12 hour) fast, two catheters were inserted in the antecubital veins, one for the administration of radiolabelled tracers and the other for arterialized blood sampling. Then an intravenous bolus (185 ± 46 MBq) of the long‐chain fatty acid analogue 14(R,S)‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐6‐thia‐heptadecanoic acid ([¹⁸F]‐FTHA) was given, following which the dynamic PET imaging of the brain started and continued for 40 minutes. Blood samples were drawn during the entire scanning period to measure FFA as well as radioactivity levels.

Non-contrast, ECG-gated computed tomography CAC scans were performed before CCTA as per current SCCT guidelines [15] (link). Briefly, scans were performed at 120 kVp with mA varying per body habitus with 2.5 mm slice thickness. CCTA acquisition was performed after CAC scan using 64-slice Philips IQon and 64-slice GE VCT scanners as per SCCT guidelines using 80–100 mL of Isovue-370 contrast [15] (link). Metoprolol was administered for heart rate control and sublingual nitroglycerin given before image acquisition.