Infrared Thermography Associated With Cutaneous Microcirculation for Detection of Brown-adipose Tissue (MICROBAT)

Infrared Thermography Associated With Cutaneous Microcirculation for Detection of Brown-adipose Tissue: Proof of Concept Against PET-CT in Patients Affected by Pheochomocytoma and/or Paraganglioma

Patients affected by pheochromocytoma (PHEO) have brown-adipose tissue (BAT) hyperactivation. They perform, in routine settings, a FDG PET-CT scan. The high metabolic activity of BAT and its ability to consume both glucose and fatty acid suggest that it may have potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment of obesity. However, alternative non-invasive techniques to PET-CT BAT detection still need more validation. Accordingly, our aim will be to measure the temperature and microcirculation of the skin overlaying BAT depots in the region of FDG-uptake detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT before and after a cold test in PHEO patients.

Objectives and Methodology:

• To analyse the change in temperature and microcirculation of the skin overlaying BAT depots in the region of FDG-uptake detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT before and after a cold test in PHEO patients.
• To check the decreased temperature and microcirculatory response after a cold test following resection of the tumor

All the patients affected by will benefit from a:

• clinical: treatments
• biological evaluations: glycemia, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine, urine catecholamine
• cutaneous microcirculation by means of Laser Speckle Imaging will be recorded at rest and during a cold test in the supra-clavicular region
• cutaneous microcirculation by means of Laser Doppler Flowmetry will be recorded at rest and during a cold test with one probe in the supra-clavicular region and one probe in umbilical region
• skin temperature by means of infrared thermography will be recorded at rest and during a cold test in the supra-clavicular region

Patients who will have surgery will be investigated before and after one year following resection of the tumor.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with confirmed pheochromocytoma and/or paraganglioma

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnant woman
• breastfeeding woman