Noninvasive imaging techniques, particularly novel CT biomarkers and PET-CT tracers, show significant potential for assessing vascular inflammation and improving prognosis in coronary artery disease.
Advances in noninvasive imaging, particularly novel CT biomarkers and PET tracers, show promise for the early detection of vascular inflammation to improve cardiovascular risk assessment.
Vascular inflammation is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, particularly atherosclerotic disease, and early detection of vascular inflammation may be key to the ultimate reduction of residual cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This review paper discusses the progress toward the clinical utility of noninvasive imaging techniques for assessing vascular inflammation, with a focus on coronary atherosclerosis. A discussion of multiple modalities is included: computed tomography (CT) imaging (the major focus of the review), cardiac magnetic resonance, ultrasound, and positron emission tomography imaging. The review covers recent progress in new technologies such as the novel CT biomarkers of coronary inflammation (eg, the perivascular fat attenuation index), new inflammation-specific tracers for positron emission tomography-CT imaging, and others. The strengths and limitations of each modality are explored, highlighting the potential for multi-modality imaging and the use of artificial intelligence image interpretation to improve both diagnostic and prognostic potential for common conditions such as coronary artery disease.
West et al. (Wed,) conducted a review in Vascular inflammation and coronary atherosclerosis. Noninvasive imaging techniques (CT, CMR, Ultrasound, PET) was evaluated. Noninvasive imaging techniques, particularly novel CT biomarkers and PET-CT tracers, show significant potential for assessing vascular inflammation and improving prognosis in coronary artery disease.