Molecular Imaging of the Initial Inflammatory Response in Atherosclerosis

Molecular imaging of the initial inflammatory response in atherosclerosis: implications for early detection of disease.

UNLABELLED Background- We hypothesized that molecular imaging of endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression could noninvasively evaluate prelesion atherogenic phenotype. METHODS AND RESULTS Mice deficient for the LDL-receptor and the Apobec-1 editing peptide (DKO mice) were studied as an age-dependent model of atherosclerosis. At 10, 20, and 40 weeks of age, ultrasound molecular imaging of...

Molecular Imaging and Atherosclerosis

Noninvasive Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of the Effect of Statins on Endothelial Inflammatory Phenotype in Early Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Inflammatory changes on the endothelium are responsible for leukocyte recruitment to plaques in atherosclerosis. Noninvasive assessment of treatment-effects on endothelial inflammation may be of use for managing medical therapy and developing novel therapies. We hypothesized that molecular imaging of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) with contrast enhanced ultraso...

Ultrasound molecular imaging of atherosclerosis.

Recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of atherosclerosis have created the need for better non-invasive imaging of vascular phenotype. Ultrasound is widely available, inexpensive, and well suited for high-throughput screening in populations that are at risk for atherosclerosis. Novel ultrasonic approaches for the diagnosis of vascular changes in atherosclerosi...

Imaging and nanomedicine in inflammatory atherosclerosis.

Bioengineering provides unique opportunities to better understand and manage atherosclerotic disease. The field is entering a new era that merges the latest biological insights into inflammatory disease processes with targeted imaging and nanomedicine. Preclinical cardiovascular molecular imaging allows the in vivo study of targeted nanotherapeutics specifically directed toward immune system co...