title: Preclinical models of atherosclerosis. The future of Hybrid PET/MR technology for the early detection of vulnerable plaque.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries. The aetiology is currently multifactorial, thus making them very difficult to prevent. Preclinical models of atherothrombotic diseases, including vulnerable plaque-associated complications, are now providing significant insights into pathologies like atherosclerosis, and in combination with the most recent advances in new non-invasive imaging technologies, they have become essential tools to evaluate new therapeutic strategies, with which can forecast and prevent plaque rupture. Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography imaging is currently used for plaque visualisation in clinical and pre-clinical cardiovascular research, albeit with significant limitations. However, the combination of PET and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies is still the best option available today, as combined PET/MRI scans provide simultaneous data acquisition together with high quality anatomical information, sensitivity and lower radiation exposure for the patient. The coming years may represent a new era for the implementation of PET/MRI in clinical practice, but first, clinically efficient attenuation correction algorithms and research towards multimodal reagents and safety issues should be validated at the preclinical level.
authors.affiliation: Departmentof Physiology,University of Alcala,School of Medicine,Ctra Madrid Barcelona,Km 3,300,28875 Alcala de Henares,Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cuadrado
authors.affiliation: Departmentof Physiology,University of Alcala,School of Medicine,Ctra Madrid Barcelona,Km 3,300,28875 Alcala de Henares,Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saura
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department,University Francisco de Vitoria/Hospital Ramón y Cajal,Ctra. Colmenar Viejo,km 9,100,28034 Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Borja
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Castejón
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department,University Francisco de Vitoria/Hospital Ramón y Cajal,Ctra. Colmenar Viejo,km 9,100,28034 Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department,University Francisco de Vitoria/Hospital Ramón y Cajal,Ctra. Colmenar Viejo,km 9,100,28034 Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Herruzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology,University of Thessaly,Ploutonos 26,412 21 Larissa,Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balatsos
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department,University Francisco de Vitoria/Hospital Ramón y Cajal,Ctra. Colmenar Viejo,km 9,100,28034 Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zamorano
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department,University Francisco de Vitoria/Hospital Ramón y Cajal,Ctra. Colmenar Viejo,km 9,100,28034 Madrid,Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaragoza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000378:metabolism; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18