Cardiovascular molecular imaging: an overview

Molecular imaging is non-invasive visualization and measurement of biological processes at the molecular and cellular level within a living organism. This review provides a description of the various molecular imaging techniques for imaging cardiovascular targets and their potential clinical implications. Molecular imaging has relied mainly on nuclear imaging, but advances in nanoparticle probe development have made magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound as emerging, radiation-free alternatives. Targeted imaging of vascular inflammation or thrombosis may allow improved risk assessment of atherosclerosis by detecting plaques at high risk of acute complications. Imaging probes detecting myocardial apoptosis, metabolic alterations, injury to extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, or innervation may provide tools for assessing risk of arrhythmias and left ventricular remodelling associated with progressive cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Although clinical experience remains limited, careful evaluation of safety as well as validation of diagnostic and prognostic value of these techniques in clinical trials is still needed.