title: SPECT- and PET-based approaches for noninvasive diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection.
abstract: Molecular imaging techniques such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography are promising tools for noninvasive diagnosis of acute allograft rejection (AR). Given the importance of renal transplantation and the limitation of available donors, detailed analysis of factors that affect transplant survival is important. Episodes of acute allograft rejection are a negative prognostic factor for long-term graft survival. Invasive core needle biopsies are still the "goldstandard" in rejection diagnostics. Nevertheless, they are cumbersome to the patient and carry the risk of significant graft injury. Notably, they cannot be performed on patients taking anticoagulant drugs. Therefore, a noninvasive tool assessing the whole organ for specific and fast detection of acute allograft rejection is desirable. We herein review SPECT- and PET-based approaches for noninvasive molecular imaging-based diagnostics of acute transplant rejection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine D, Experimental Nephrology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pawelski
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schnöckel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine D, Experimental Nephrology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kentrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine D, Experimental Nephrology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grabner
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany ; European Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schäfers
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine D, Experimental Nephrology, University of Münster, Albert-Schweizer Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reuter
mesh_terms: D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011859:Radiography; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects