Evaluation of the Impact of a Patient Education Protocol on the Quality of 18F-FDG PET Imaging Indicated for Investigation of Cardiac Inflammation

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Infective Endocarditis; Cardiac Sarcoidosis
• Interventions: Other: Sending a link to the video; Biological: Determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in capillary blood; Behavioral: Compliance questionnaire

• Registration Number: NCT07029295
• Lead Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of implementing a patient education and preparation protocol for FDG PET (18F-FDG PET) imaging on the quality of imaging results.

18F-FDG (18Fluor-FluoroDesoxyGlucose) PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is indicated for the diagnosis of cardiac inflammation. To detect cardiac inflammation, the myocardium (heart muscle) must be prevented from absorbing glucose from the diet (FDG). To achieve this, patient preparation is essential. Poor preparation can compromise the interpretation of results, causing diagnostic delay.

To answer the research question, the investigators plan to include 138 people with suspected infective endocarditis or cardiac sarcoidosis, in two institutions of the Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris: Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou and Hôpital Cochin-Port-Royal, located respectively at 20 rue Leblanc 75015 Paris and 27 rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques 75014 Paris.

Detailed Description

18F-FDG (18Fluor-FluoroDesoxyGlucose) PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is indicated for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis or cardiac sarcoidosis. Detection of cardiac inflammation requires suppression of physiological glucose (FDG) uptake in the myocardium. To achieve this, patient preparation (ketogenic diet and fasting) is essential. Failure rates vary from center to center. Poor preparation can compromise interpretation, causing diagnostic delay, additional exposure to ionizing radiation and cost. Interpretation of the examination requires suppressing FDG uptake in the myocardium in order to identify FDG uptake in activated inflammatory cells. With this study, the investigators hope to demonstrate that an intervention upstream of the examination will increase the success rate of the 18F-FDG PET examination indicated for cardiac sarcoidosis or infective endocarditis. This will make it possible to avoid reprogramming the examination in the event of failure, and thus limit the patient's additional exposure to ionizing radiation (radiation protection), and avoid a loss of chance for the patient as well as additional costs for health insurance.

Main objective: To evaluate the benefit of implementing a patient education protocol prior to myocardial 18F-FDG PET on the removal of residual myocardial fixation compared with the usual procedure of sending instructions.

Primary endpoint: Success rate of suppression of residual myocardial FDG uptake. Success criteria according to 4 grades. Grade 1 (no residual FDG fixation), grade 2 (moderate FDG fixation in basal LV segments), grade 3 (residual FDG fixation interfering with interpretation) or grade 4 (diffuse and intense FDG fixation). Grades 1 and 2 define success.

Secondary objectives: By comparing the control group (usual procedure) with the intervention group (new procedure):

A - Evaluate the value of determining ketone bodies in capillary blood before the 18F-FDG PET examination indicated for infectious endocarditis or cardiac sarcoidosis, to predict its success.

B - Evaluate whether the patient education protocol leads to greater compliance with dietary instructions prior to the 18F-FDG PET scan.

C - Investigate whether certain drug excipients are likely to influence the results of the 18F-FDG PET scan, by retrieving the list of drugs taken by the patient 24 hours prior to the scan. Indeed, some excipients may contain fast sugars and this could, perhaps, independently of compliance with dietary instructions, lead to failure of the 18F-FDG PET scan.

Secondary endpoints:

A - Measurement of ketone bodies (BHB) on a capillary blood sample taken just before the examination.

B - Use of a questionnaire (cf. appendix 2) drawn up and distributed by the radio handlers to the patient on arrival in the department on the day of the examination.

C - Collection of medications taken by the patient in the 24 hours preceding the examination.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2025-05-27
• Status Verified: 2025-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-06-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-06-11
• Study First Posted: 2025-06-19
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-19
• Study Start: 2025-07-01
• Primary Completion: 2027-08-31
• Study Completion: 2027-08-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 138

Inclusion Criteria

• Presence of a prescription validated by the nuclear medicine department for an 18F-FDG PET scan for the detection of inflammation of cardiac inflammation or infection
• Age greater than or equal to 18
• Membership of a social security scheme or equivalent
• Patients with an e-mail address
• Patients who understand French
• Collection of patient consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnancy or breast-feeding
• Patients (inpatients or outpatients) already on a diet (including ketogenic)
• Patients who do not understand protocol
• Patients deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision
• Patients under legal protection (guardianship/trusteeship)
• Patients under court protection

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control group	Determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in capillary blood	standard procedure (transmission of an instructions sent by e-mail) + compliance questionnaire to be completed on arrival in the day of imaging + BHB assay on capillary blood before imaging.
Intervention group	Sending a link to the video	standard procedure accompanied by a link to the educational video (3 min, 34 sec.) prepared as part of the study, explaining the importance of proper preparation and the diet to follow + compliance questionnaire to be completed on arrival in the day of imaging + BHB assay on capillary blood prior to imaging.
Intervention group	Determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in capillary blood	standard procedure accompanied by a link to the educational video (3 min, 34 sec.) prepared as part of the study, explaining the importance of proper preparation and the diet to follow + compliance questionnaire to be completed on arrival in the day of imaging + BHB assay on capillary blood prior to imaging.
Intervention group	Compliance questionnaire	standard procedure accompanied by a link to the educational video (3 min, 34 sec.) prepared as part of the study, explaining the importance of proper preparation and the diet to follow + compliance questionnaire to be completed on arrival in the day of imaging + BHB assay on capillary blood prior to imaging.
Control group	Compliance questionnaire	standard procedure (transmission of an instructions sent by e-mail) + compliance questionnaire to be completed on arrival in the day of imaging + BHB assay on capillary blood before imaging.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Evaluate the benefit of implementing a patient education protocol prior to myocardial 18F-FDG PET on the removal of residual myocardial fixation compared to the usual procedure of sending instructions.	After the imaging (approximately 1 month after the appointment is scheduled for the imaging)	Interpretation of imaging results : Success rate of suppression of residual myocardial FDG uptake. Success criteria according to 4 grades. Grade 1 (no residual FDG uptake), grade 2 (moderate FDG uptake in basal LV segments), grade 3 (residual FDG fixation interfering with interpretation) or grade 4 (diffuse, intense FDG uptake). Grades 1 and 2 define success.; Centralized review by two independent nuclear medicine physicians and definition of residual FDG uptake in the myocardium blinded to the inclusion group. If there was a discrepancy between the scores, rereading by a 3rd nuclear physician.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Evaluate the value of determining ketone bodies in capillary blood prior to the 18F-FDG PET indicated for infectious endocarditis or cardiac sarcoidosis to predict its success	Before the imaging (approximately 1 month after the appointment is scheduled for the imaging)	Measurement of ketone bodies (BHB) on a capillary blood sample just before the imaging.
Evaluate whether the patient education protocol leads to greater compliance with dietary instructions prior to 18F-FDG PET.	Before the imaging (approximately 1 month after the appointment is scheduled for the imaging)	Use of a questionnaire prepared and distributed by radio operators to the patient on arrival on the day of the imaging.
Investigate whether certain drug excipients are likely to influence PET-18F-FDG results	Before the imaging (approximately 1 month after the appointment is scheduled for the imaging)	Collection of medications taken by the patient in the 24 hours preceding the imaging.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Hôpital Cochin - AP-HP, Service de médecine nucléaire; 🇫🇷 Paris, France

Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou - AP-HP, Service de médecine nucléaire; 🇫🇷 Paris, France