To identify impacts of infection status of chronic hepatitis viruses and biochemical parameters of liver function on hepatic FDG uptake.

The results of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT, liver function biochemical tests and hepatic virus tests of 713 healthy adults (504 males, 209 females, age 24-74 years) were retrospectively analyzed. Two-sample t test, correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to identify correlations of liver SUV_mean with the biochemical parameters and hepatic viral infection status.

HBsAg tests were performed in 449 subjects, with the results of 65 (14.5%) positive and 384 (85.5%) negative. HCV antibody tests were performed in 477 subjects, with 53 (11.1%) positive and 424 (88.9%) negative. The average SUV_mean of the total subjects was 1.86±0.38. There was no significant difference of SUV_mean between HBsAg positive group and negative group (t=1.042, P>0.05), or between HCV antibody positive group and negative group (t=1.283, P>0.05). Serum conjugated bilirubin, globulin and AST were significantly correlated with liver SUV_mean (r'=-0.191, -0.087 and 0.132, all P<0.05). These parameters were independent variables on predicting variance of liver SUV_mean, with globulin showing the largest predicting value (standardized β'=-0.112, P<0.05).

Functional status of liver may affect liver ¹⁸F-FDG uptake. Serum conjugated bilirubin, globulin and AST may be the independent variables on predicting variance of liver SUV_mean. Liver functional test results should be taken into consideration when hepatic ¹⁸F-FDG uptake is interpreted.

Liver function tests; Hepatitis B surface antigens; Hepatitis C antibodies; Tomography, emission-computed; Tomography, X-ray computed; Deoxyglucose