Revolutionizing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Diagnosis: The Promise of Molecular Imaging

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially fatal condition that is often asymptomatic in its early stages, with treatment strategies that remain controversial due to limited predictive accuracy for rupture risk. Current clinical approaches primarily rely on aneurysm size and growth rates for risk assessment, which are insufficient for identifying high-risk individuals. This review focuses on preclinical models and the development of molecular imaging technologies, which offer high-spatial-resolution visualization of pathological processes at the molecular level. These advancements provide a promising opportunity to characterize AAA beyond anatomical dimensions and address existing gaps in early diagnosis and targeted therapy. We will discuss the progression of pathophysiological alterations in AAA, the principles underlying contrast agents and molecular probes, and recent advancements in vascular wall molecular imaging within preclinical models.