Prototype device for endoventricular beta-emitting radiotracer detection and molecularly-guided intervention

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nuclear Medicine
• Cardiology

Background:

• Developing advanced theranostic systems for cardiovascular diseases is crucial.
• Current methods for identifying diseased myocardium and guiding therapy have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a catheter-based theranostic system for identifying diseased myocardium using radiotracers.
• To enable targeted therapeutic delivery guided by molecular signals via intramyocardial injection.

Main Methods:

• A prototype catheter with a miniature beta-radiation detector was developed.
• In vitro and ex vivo studies were conducted using various radionuclides and a pig model of myocardial infarction.
• Performance was assessed by comparing catheter measurements with PET/CT and gamma counting.

Main Results:

• The beta-detection catheter showed sensitive and selective detection of beta radiation with minimal gamma sensitivity.
• High spatial resolution (1.1 mm FWHM) was achieved for Fluorine-18 detection.
• Ex vivo measurements correlated well with PET/CT and gamma counting in a pig infarct model.

Conclusions:

• The prototype beta-detection catheter is effective for detecting beta emissions.
• This technology enables high-fidelity characterization of endocardial activity.
• The system holds potential for guiding targeted cardiac therapies.