Nuclear Methods for Immune Cell Imaging: Bridging Molecular Imaging and Individualized Medicine

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Immunology
• Nuclear Imaging

Background:

• Inflammation drives cardiovascular disease progression, including atherosclerosis, ischemic injury, and heart failure.
• Specific immune cell subpopulations play distinct roles in cardiac pathogenesis, varying among patients.
• Nuclear imaging offers noninvasive, serial quantification of inflammation severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review established and emerging nuclear imaging methods for immune cell tracking in cardiovascular disease.
• To highlight clinical scenarios benefiting from targeted molecular inflammation imaging.
• To discuss the potential of advanced imaging to guide personalized therapies.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of nuclear imaging techniques for labeling and tracking exogenous and endogenous immune cells.
• Focus on applications in cardiovascular pathogenesis and inflammation assessment.
• Review of current and future molecular imaging strategies.

Main Results:

• Nuclear imaging enables quantification of inflammation, aiding risk stratification and outcome prediction.
• Targeted molecular imaging can guide therapies against specific leukocyte subpopulations.
• Emerging imaging options bridge molecular imaging with personalized therapeutic strategies.

Conclusions:

• Nuclear imaging is crucial for noninvasively assessing inflammation in cardiovascular disease.
• Targeted immune cell imaging facilitates personalized risk assessment and therapeutic guidance.
• Advancements in nuclear imaging support the development of tailored treatments for cardiovascular conditions.