title: Imaging inflammation and neovascularization in atherosclerosis: clinical and translational molecular and structural imaging targets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to showcase advances in molecular imaging of atheroma biology in living individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) continues to be the predominant molecular imaging approach for clinical applications, particularly in the large arterial beds. Recently, there has been significant progress in imaging of neovascularization and inflammation to delineate high-risk atheroma and to evaluate drug efficacy. In addition, new hardware detection technology and imaging agents are enabling in-vivo imaging of new targets on diverse imaging platforms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this review, we present recent exciting developments in molecular and structural imaging of atherosclerotic plaque inflammation and neovascularization. Building upon prior studies, these advances develop key technology that will play an important role in propelling new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies identifying high-risk plaque phenotypes and assessing new plaque stabilization therapies in clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: aCardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital bCardiology Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center cCenter for Molecular Imaging Research and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.forename: Farouc A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Jaffer
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids