EJNMMI Research (Aug 2021)

Imaging angiogenesis in atherosclerosis in large arteries with 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET/CT: relationship with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

  • Matthieu Dietz,
  • Christel H. Kamani,
  • Emmanuel Deshayes,
  • Vincent Dunet,
  • Periklis Mitsakis,
  • George Coukos,
  • Marie Nicod Lalonde,
  • Niklaus Schaefer,
  • John O. Prior

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13550-021-00815-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Abstract Background Integrin alpha-V-beta-3 (αvβ3) pathway is involved in intraplaque angiogenesis and inflammation and represents a promising target for molecular imaging in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical correlates of arterial wall accumulation of 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD, a specific αvβ3 integrin ligand for PET. Materials and methods The data of 44 patients who underwent 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET/CT scans were retrospectively analyzed. Tracer accumulation in the vessel wall of major arteries was analyzed semi-quantitatively by blood-pool-corrected target-to-background ratios. Tracer uptake was compared with clinically documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular risk factors and calcified plaque burden. Data were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson correlation and Spearman correlation. Results 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD arterial uptake was significantly higher in patients with previous clinically documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (mean TBR 2.44 [2.03–2.55] vs. 1.81 [1.56–1.96], p = 0.001) and showed a significant correlation with prior cardiovascular or cerebrovascular event (r = 0.33, p = 0.027), BMI (ρ = 0.38, p = 0.01), plaque burden (ρ = 0.31, p = 0.04) and hypercholesterolemia (r = 0.31, p = 0.04). Conclusions 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD holds promise as a non-invasive marker of disease activity in atherosclerosis, providing information about intraplaque angiogenesis.

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