title: Molecular imaging of atherosclerosis with integrated PET imaging.
abstract: Atherosclerotic diseases account for nearly half of all deaths and are leading causes of adult disability. Our understanding of how atherosclerosis leads to cardiovascular disease events has evolved: from a concept of progressive luminal narrowing, to that of sudden rupture and thrombosis of biologically active atheroma. In concert with this conceptual shift, contemporary imaging techniques now allow imaging of biological processes that associate with plaque instability: active calcification and plaque inflammation. This review focuses on opportunities provided by positron emission tomography/computed tomography, to identify these high-risk biological features of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Basma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hammad
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: James H F
authors.initials: JHF
authors.lastname: Rudd
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. atawakol@mgh.harvard.edu.|Integrative Bio-Imaging Program and Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA, 02114-2750, USA. atawakol@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tawakol
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D018511:Systems Integration
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Echocardiography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Myocardial perfusion imaging: SPECT; PET/CT imaging