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Updated: Mar 11, 2026
High-Resolution Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography for Small Animals
Published on: December 16, 2022
Highly Sensitive Detection of Minimal Cardiac Ischemia using Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Activated
Melanie Ziegler1, Karen Alt1,2, Brett M Paterson3
1Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology, Baker IDI Heart &Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Insights
New molecular PET imaging detects minimal cardiac ischemia by visualizing activated platelets. This sensitive, non-invasive method aids in diagnosing coronary artery disease and stratifying patient risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular imaging
- Molecular imaging
- Platelet biology
Background:
- Diagnosis of minimal cardiac ischemia is crucial for coronary artery disease management.
- Current methods like ECG, biomarkers, and stress testing lack sensitivity for early or minimal ischemia.
- Activated platelets accumulate early in ischemic myocardium, presenting a potential diagnostic target.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a non-invasive molecular PET imaging method for detecting minimal cardiac ischemia.
- To assess the sensitivity of PET imaging of activated platelets in identifying early myocardial ischemia.
Main Methods:
- Induction of varying degrees of minimal myocardial ischemia in mice by ligating the left anterior descending artery.
- Administration of a novel radiotracer (scFvanti-GPIIb/IIIa-64CuMeCOSar) targeting activated platelets.
- Assessment using Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) imaging, compared with Evans Blue/TTC staining and serological biomarkers (Troponin I, H-FABP).
Main Results:
- PET imaging successfully detected minimal degrees of myocardial ischemia.
- Classical diagnostic methods (Evans Blue/TTC staining, Troponin I, H-FABP) were negative, indicating the sensitivity of the PET approach.
- The novel radiotracer specifically bound to activated platelets in ischemic regions.
Conclusions:
- Molecular PET imaging of activated platelets is a highly sensitive and unique method for detecting minimal cardiac ischemia.
- This technique holds promise for improving the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and risk stratification in patients with ambiguous symptoms.
- Non-invasive imaging of platelet activation offers a significant advancement in cardiovascular diagnostics.
Abstract:
A reliable method for the diagnosis of minimal cardiac ischemia would meet a strong demand for the sensitive diagnosis of coronary artery disease in cardiac stress testing and risk stratification in patients with chest pain but unremarkable ECGs and biomarkers. We hypothesized that platelets accumulate early on in ischemic myocardium and a newly developed technology of non-invasive molecular PET imaging of activated platelets can thus detect minimal degrees of myocardial ischemia. To induce different degrees of minimal cardiac ischemia, the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was ligated for 10, 20 or 60 min. Mice were injected with a newly generated scFvanti-GPIIb/IIIa-64CuMeCOSar radiotracer, composed of a single-chain antibody that only binds to activated integrin GPIIb/IIIa (αIIbβIII) and thus to activated platelets, and a sarcophagine cage MeCOSar complexing the long half-life PET tracer copper-64. A single PET/CT scan was performed. Evans Blue/TTC staining to detect necrosis as well as classical serological biomarkers like Troponin I and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) were negative, whereas PET imaging of activated platelets was able to detect small degrees of ischemia. Taken together, molecular PET imaging of activated platelets represents a unique and highly sensitive method to detect minimal cardiac ischemia.
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