Molecular imaging of cardiovascular inflammation

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including atherosclerosis, are chronic inflammatory diseases characterised by a complex and evolving tissue micro-environment. Molecular heterogeneity of inflammatory responses translates into clinical outcomes. However, current medical imaging modalities are unable to reveal the cellular and molecular events at a level of detail that would allow more accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment. This is an inherent limitation of the current imaging tools, which are restricted to anatomical or functional data. Molecular imaging—the visualisation and quantification of molecules in the body—is already established in the clinic in the form of PET, yet the use of P..