The purpose of this study is to evaluate the splenic activation in hypertensive patients, as compared to normotensives, using FDG-PET/CT imaging. Moreover, the investigators will investigate whether the splenic metabolic activity relates to the expression of circulating inflammatory proteins (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP]), interleukin-1b (IL-1b), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) or to immune profiles of activated T cells.

Inclusion Criteria:

• absence of prior cancer diagnosis or remission from cancer at the time of FDG-PET/CT imaging (from at least 6 months)
• age ≥ 30 and ≤ 85 years
• absence of acute cardio/cerebrovascular disease (myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, revascularization)
• absence of acute or chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disease
• diagnosis of presence/absence of hypertension, on the basis of documented medical history

Exclusion Criteria:

• diabetes
• atrial fibrillation
• use of anti-inflammatory drugs in the week preceding the FDG-PET/CT imaging
• chronic use of anti-inflammatory drugs

Subjects will be selected from patients who will undergo FDG-PET/CT imaging of chest and abdomen in the Department of Nuclear Medicine of IRCCS Neuromed, accordingly to the following inclusion/exclusion criteria. All the enrolled patients must have an indication for FDG-PET/CT. Approximately 120 hypertensive and normotensive subjects of both genders (at least 45 per group, in order to have the appropriate statistical power) will be included in the study.