Molecular and Nonmolecular Imaging of Macrophages in Atherosclerosis
Zhaoyue Li1, Hao Tang1, Yingfeng Tu1
1Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Insights
Advanced imaging techniques, including molecular and nonmolecular methods, offer new ways to detect atherosclerosis by targeting macrophages. These innovations promise earlier diagnosis and personalized treatment for cardiovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Medical Imaging
- Immunology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of ischemic heart disease and a significant global public health issue.
- Macrophages are critical cellular players throughout all stages of atherosclerosis development and plaque instability.
- Early detection of coronary atherosclerotic disease is crucial for implementing preventive strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in molecular and nonmolecular imaging for detecting macrophages in atherosclerosis.
- To highlight research hotspots and methods with potential for rapid clinical application.
Main Methods:
- Exploration of recent molecular imaging techniques for noninvasive, targeted in vivo imaging of macrophages.
- Discussion of multimodal imaging integrating structural, functional, and molecular data for comprehensive vascular evaluation.
- Review of nonmolecular imaging technologies, such as intravascular imaging, for identifying macrophage inflammation.
Main Results:
- Molecular imaging allows earlier and more accurate detection of atheroma compared to conventional methods.
- Multimodal imaging provides multi-dimensional evaluation of blood vessels at both anatomical and molecular levels.
- Intravascular imaging offers high accuracy and rich information for identifying macrophage inflammation.
Conclusions:
- Emerging molecular and nonmolecular imaging technologies show significant potential for early atherosclerosis diagnosis.
- These advanced imaging approaches can guide targeted, personalized treatment strategies for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
- Continued research and development in macrophage imaging are vital for clinical translation.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is a major cause of ischemic heart disease, and the increasing medical burden associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has become a major public health concern worldwide. Macrophages play an important role in all stages of the dynamic progress of atherosclerosis, from its initiation and lesion expansion increasing the vulnerability of plaques, to the formation of unstable plaques and clinical manifestations. Early imaging can identify patients at risk of coronary atherosclerotic disease and its complications, enabling preventive measures to be initiated. Recent advances in molecular imaging have involved the noninvasive and semi-quantitative targeted imaging of macrophages and their related molecules in vivo, which can detect atheroma earlier and more accurately than conventional imaging. Multimodal imaging integrates vascular structure, function, and molecular imaging technology to achieve multi-dimensional imaging, which can be used to comprehensively evaluate blood vessels and obtain clinical information based on anatomical structure and molecular level. At the same time, the rapid development of nonmolecular imaging technologies, such as intravascular imaging, which have the unique advantages of having intuitive accuracy and providing rich information to identify macrophage inflammation and inform targeted personalized treatment, has also been seen. In this review, we highlight recent methods and research hotspots in molecular and nonmolecular imaging of macrophages in atherosclerosis that have enormous potential for rapid clinical application.
