Targets of molecularimaging for detection of atherosclerosis vulnerable plaques

Abstract

Early detection and accurate evaluation of vulnerable plaques is important to clinical prevention and in time intervention of atherosclerosis plaque rupture, which is the main reason of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular emergency events. Molecular imaging reveals the formation and progression mechanisms of atherosclerosis at the molecular level, and thus has obvious superiority in early detection and evaluation of vulnerable plaques. Suitable targets are the major contents of molecular probe research. Probes of different imaging modalities have been used to detect vulnerable plaques. The targets including low density lipoprotein, macrophage, adhesion molecule, micro calcification, activated protease, apoptosis, proliferation gene, integrin and thrombus. The mechanism of detecting different targets is different, and the effectiveness varies as well. This review summarizes the development of imaging probes for molecular detection of atherosclerosis vulnerable plaques. Key words: Plaque, atherosclerotic; Molecular imaging; Trends