Role of imaging in cardiac stem cell therapy.
Stem cell therapy has emerged as a potential therapeutic option for cell death-related heart diseases. Preclinical and a number of early phase human studies suggested that cell therapy may augment perfusion and increase myocardial contractility. The rapid translation into clinical trials has left many issues unresolved, and emphasizes the need for specific techniques to visualize the mechanisms involved. Furthermore, the clinical efficacy of cell therapy remains to be proven. Imaging allows for in vivo tracking of cells and can provide a better understanding in the evaluation of the functional effects of cell-based therapies. In this review, a summary of the most promising imaging techniques for cell tracking is provided. Among these are direct labeling of cells with super-paramagnetic agents, radionuclides, and the use of reporter genes for imaging of transplanted cells. In addition, a comprehensive summary is provided of the currently available studies investigating a cell therapy-related effect on left ventricular function, myocardial perfusion, scar tissue, and myocardial viability.
Beeres
Saskia L M A
SL
Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Bengel
Frank M
FM
Bartunek
Jozef
J
Atsma
Douwe E
DE
Hill
Jonathan M
JM
Vanderheyden
Marc
M
Penicka
Martin
M
Schalij
Martin J
MJ
Wijns
William
W
Bax
Jeroen J
JJ
D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004280:Dobutamine; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology
D003287:Contrast Media; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D004280:Dobutamine