Cardiovascular molecular imaging

Molecular imaging techniques such as PET and SPECT visualize biological processes. They utilize radiotracer molecules, which are injected into the living patient or laboratory animal.
Rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque in a coronary artery is the main cause of myocardial infarction, and may cause heart failure or death. In the first part of this thesis, we studied the novel PET radiotracer 18F-fluorodeoxymannose. We showed in cells and rabbits with atherosclerosis that this molecule can be used to detect atherosclerotic plaques at high risk of rupture. When this is confirmed in patients, 18-fluorodeoxymannose PET may ultimately optimize prevention myocardial infarctions. Thus, it could contribute to healthy aging, the main aim of the UMCG.
We have focused the second part of this thesis on therapy for myocardial infarction. Previous studies had shown that the antibiotic minocycline reduces cell death after myocardial infarction. However, minocycline was given before myocardial infarction, which is impossible in patients. We used mice and rabbits with myocardial infarction, treated them with minocycline after the start of the infarction, and showed that minocycline reduces cell death. When this is confirmed in patient studies, minocycline may be an additional therapy for myocardial infarction and further save lives.
For optimal evaluation of cell death, we have used old (99mTc-annexin A5) and new radiotracers (111In-GSAO). One of the chapters in this thesis describes validation of cell death imaging in the heart using 111In-GSAO. Future purposes of this imaging technique include development of therapies for myocardial infarction.