Abstract
Similar to what has already occurred in cancer medicine, the management of cardiovascular conditions will likely be improved by non-invasive molecular imaging technologies that can provide earlier or more accurate diagnosis. These techniques are already having a positive impact in pre-clinical research by providing insight into pathophysiology or efficacy of new therapies. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEU) molecular imaging is a technique that relies on the ultrasound detection of targeted microbubble contrast agents to examine molecular or cellular events that occur at the blood pool-endothelial interface. CEU molecular imaging techniques have been developed that are able to provide unique information on atherosclerosis, ischemia reperfusion injury, angiogenesis, vascular inflammation, and thrombus formation. Accordingly, CEU has the potential to be used in a wide variety of circumstances to detect disease early or at the bedside, and to guide appropriate therapy based on vascular phenotype. This review will describe the physical basis for CEU molecular imaging, and the specific disease processes for the pre-clinical translational research experience.
Highlights
Non-invasive in vivo molecular imaging techniques have been developed to assess molecular or cellular phenotype in animal models of disease and in humans
One of the most common approaches has been to create novel targeted imaging probes which can be detected by noninvasive imaging techniques such as radionuclide imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound or optical imaging [4–6]
In patients presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), the clinical diagnosis generally relies on history information, serologic markers such as troponins, and electrocardiogram (ECG)
Summary
Non-invasive in vivo molecular imaging techniques have been developed to assess molecular or cellular phenotype in animal models of disease and in humans. These methods provide both temporal and spatial assessment of diseaserelated molecules, and are impactful when they are combined with conventional methods for imaging function, structure and flow. There are many reasons from both the research and clinical perspective for the development of molecular imaging technology (Fig. 1 )[1–3].In preclinical research, molecular imaging is considered to be a valuable asset for investigating spatial and temporal patterns of molecular pathophysiology, and for rapid evaluation of ontarget and off-target effects of new therapies. CEU images are able to be obtained very rapidly, within minutes of intravenous injection; and the lack of any need for extensive post-processing provides almost immediate
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