Metabolic Imaging in Cardio-oncology

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Cancer survival rates have improved due to advancements in detection and therapy.
• Cardiovascular complications are a significant cause of morbidity in cancer survivors.
• Current cardiotoxicity definitions rely on late, irreversible structural myocardial changes and cardiac injury biomarkers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review emerging translational metabolic imaging modalities for early detection of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD).
• To explore the role of mitochondrial biology in developing these diagnostic technologies.
• To assess the potential of these modalities in managing cardiovascular risk and screening for cardiotoxicity.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on metabolic imaging and mitochondrial biology.
• Focus on translational applications of imaging technologies for CTRCD detection.
• Contextualization of mitochondrial function in relation to cardiotoxicity mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Metabolic imaging offers a promising approach to identify early, potentially reversible biochemical and molecular signaling alterations in the heart.
• Understanding mitochondrial biology is crucial for developing and applying these advanced imaging techniques.
• These modalities can aid in assessing cardiovascular risk associated with specific anticancer treatments and screening for cardiotoxicity with novel therapies.

Conclusions:

• Emerging metabolic imaging modalities hold significant potential for early detection of CTRCD.
• These techniques may improve cardiovascular risk assessment and screening for cardiotoxicity in cancer patients.
• Further research and clinical application of these technologies are warranted to improve outcomes for cancer survivors.