Imaging inflammation after myocardial infarction. Implications for prognosis and therapeutic guidance.

Imaging inflammation after myocardial infarction. Implications for prognosis and therapeutic guidance. Q J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2020 Feb 18;: Authors: Iking J, Klose J, Staniszewska M, Fendler W, Herrmann K, Rischpler C Abstract Inflammation after myocardial infarction (MI) has been in the focus of cardiovascular research for several years as it influences the remodelling process of the ischaemic heart and thereby critically determines the clinical outcome of the patient. Today, it is well appreciated that inflammation is a crucial necessity for the initiation of the natural wound healing process; however, excessive inflammation can have detrimental effects and might result in adverse ventricular remodelling which is associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Newly emerged imaging techniques facilitate the non-invasive assessment of immune cell infiltration into the ischaemic myocardium and can provide greater insight into the underlying complex and dynamic repair mechanisms. Molecular imaging of inflammation in the context of MI may help with stratification of patients at high risk of adverse ventricular remodelling post-MI which may be of diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic value. Novel radiopharmaceuticals may additionally provide a way to combine patient monitoring and therapy. In spite of great advances in recent years in the field of imaging sciences, clinicians still need to overcome some obstacles to a wider imp...
Source: Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging - Category: Nuclear Medicine Tags: Q J Nucl Med Mol Imaging Source Type: research