Fig. 4
Left ventricular ejection fraction according to categories of 18FDG uptake in patients with echocardiography at both baseline and follow-up. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at the baseline and follow-up echocardiography (LVEFPRE and LVEFPOST, respectively) in patients with myocardial 18FDG standardized uptake values (LV-SUV) below or above the median value (low and high, respectively) at each 18FDG positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET) scan. LVEF was compared between patients with LV-SUV below vs. above the median value at each PET time point by unpaired t-test and * is P < 0.05. LVEFPRE and LVEFPOST for each subgroup of patients with LV-SUV below or above the median value (e.g. LVEFPRE and LVEFPOST in subjects with high LV-SUV at EOT) were compared by paired t-test; § and # indicate P < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively. LV-SUVSTAGING: LV-SUV at the 18FDG-PET scan before treatment; LV-SUVINTERIM: LV-SUV at the 18FDG-PET performed after 2 cycles of doxorubicin; LV-SUVEOT: LV-SUV at the 18FDG-PET performed at the end of chemotherapy