Imaging Inflammation in Patients and Animals: Focus on PET Imaging the Vulnerable Plaque

Benjamin Bartlett; Herbert P Ludewick; Silvia Lee; Shipra Verma; Roslyn J Francis; Girish Dwivedi

doi:10.3390/cells10102573

Imaging Inflammation in Patients and Animals: Focus on PET Imaging the Vulnerable Plaque

Cells. 2021 Sep 28;10(10):2573. doi: 10.3390/cells10102573.

Authors

Benjamin Bartlett^{1

2}, Herbert P Ludewick^{1

3}, Silvia Lee^{1

4}, Shipra Verma^{5

6}, Roslyn J Francis^{2

7}, Girish Dwivedi^{1

2

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Advanced Clinical and Translational Cardiovascular Imaging, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
² School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
³ Heart and Lung Research Institute, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
⁴ Department of Microbiology, Pathwest Laboratory Medicine, Perth, WA 6909, Australia.
⁵ Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET CT and Radionuclide Therapy, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
⁶ Department of Geriatric Medicine, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
⁷ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
⁸ Department of Cardiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.

Abstract

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) describes a range of conditions associated with the rupture of high-risk or vulnerable plaque. Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque is associated with many changes in its microenvironment which could potentially cause rapid plaque progression. Present-day PET imaging presents a plethora of radiopharmaceuticals designed to image different characteristics throughout plaque progression. Improved knowledge of atherosclerotic disease pathways has facilitated a growing number of pathophysiological targets for more innovative radiotracer design aimed at identifying at-risk vulnerable plaque and earlier intervention opportunity. This paper reviews the efficacy of PET imaging radiotracers ¹⁸F-FDG, ¹⁸F-NaF, ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE, ⁶⁴Cu-DOTATATE and ⁶⁸Ga-pentixafor in plaque characterisation and risk assessment, as well as the translational potential of novel radiotracers in animal studies. Finally, we discuss our murine PET imaging experience and the challenges encountered.

Keywords: PET imaging; atherosclerosis; inflammation; vulnerable plaque.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Disease Models, Animal
Humans
Inflammation / diagnostic imaging*
Mice
Plaque, Atherosclerotic / diagnostic imaging*
Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*

Grants and funding

N/A/Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research