Open AccessMulti-modality molecular imaging of aortic aneurysms
Author(s) -
Brian Malm,
Mehran M. Sadeghi
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of nuclear cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.791
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1532-6551
pISSN - 1071-3581
DOI - 10.1007/s12350-017-0883-2
Subject(s) - medicine , aneurysm , radiology , abdominal aortic aneurysm , aortic aneurysm , molecular imaging , risk stratification , thrombosis , modality (human–computer interaction) , aorta , modalities , aortic dissection , thoracic aorta , cardiology , microbiology and biotechnology , human–computer interaction , biology , in vivo , computer science , social science , sociology
Aneurysms of the thoracic and abdominal aorta are common and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality when complications, including dissection, rupture, or thrombosis, occur. Current approaches to diagnosis and risk stratification rely on measurements of aneurysm size and rate of growth, often using various imaging modalities, which may be suboptimal in identifying patients at the highest and lowest risk of complications. Targeting the biological processes underlying aneurysm formation and expansion with molecular imaging offers an exciting opportunity to characterize aortic aneurysms beyond size and address current gaps in our approach to diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology and biology of aortic aneurysms and highlight the role of molecular imaging in furthering our understanding of aneurysm pathogenesis and its potential future role in guiding management.