Value of CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging for Preoperative Screening in Advanced Heart Failure Therapy Candidates

This study assesses the impact of contrast-enhanced chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT in preoperative screening of heart transplantation or ventricular assist device candidates. Patients who underwent both studies within a 6-month interval at our institution between 2014 and 2021 were reviewed for significant findings, defined as possible contraindications or actionable findings. Among the 79 included patients, significant findings were found in 38 (48.1%) with CT and in 18 (22.8%) with FDG-PET/CT (P = 0.0015). FDG-PET/CT identified 10 additional significant findings, but none of these precluded patient listing for heart transplantation. Use of FDG-PET/CT may lead to unnecessary investigations when performed indiscriminately in all patients.