Nuclear imaging of the vulnerable plaque

Nuclear imaging is ideally poised to lead the way in detecting vulnerable plaques owing to its ability to image molecular targets. Nuclear imaging approaches have high sensitivity and very good specificity and resolution for imaging subanatomical components of vulnerable plaques. These imaging applications are enhanced in large respect by the ability to radiolabel various targeting agents and deliver them to a target of interest. Potential targets include apoptotic cells and bodies, oxidative species, inflammatory components such as macrophages, scavenger receptors, and metalloproteinases, endothelial cells and their products such as adhesion molecules and LOX-1 receptors, vasa vasorum, and angiogenesis and thrombus components.