Recent Advances in Imaging Inflammation Post-Myocardial Infarction Using Positron Emission Tomography

AbstractPurpose of ReviewDespite advances in medical and surgical therapy, some patients after a myocardial infarction still develop heart failure, a devastating disease that has a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Differences in the immune response to the myocardial damage may affect the healing process. Molecular imaging enables the interrogation of immune cell subsets that can aid or impair left ventricular recovery post-myocardial infarction. Visualization of patient-specific differences in the cellular and molecular process among patients post-myocardial infarction may lead to the development of personalized therapy to prevent remodeling and promote myocardial recovery.Recent FindingsPositron emission tomography (PET) has emerged as a commonly used modality for imaging myocardial inflammation in both pre-clinical and clinical studies. While18F-FDG continues to be investigated for its ability to track inflammation in small clinical trials, its relative short half-life and nonspecific uptake have prompted investigation into other PET tracers, including agents that image amino acid metabolism, mitochondrial transport proteins, cell surface receptors, and integrins. Two of the most innovative approaches include the use of reporter gene imaging and nanoparticles. Of these, the latter offers the added advantage of delivering a therapeutic payload. Finally, recent advances in PET instrumentation such as total-body imaging can allow the study of multi-organ dysfunction simul...
Source: Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports - Category: Radiology Source Type: research