Title:Current Status of Molecular Imaging in Inflammatory and Autoimmune Disorders
Volume: 24
Issue: 7
Author(s): Alberto Signore*, Kelly Luz Anzola, Sveva Auletta, Michela Varani, Agnese Petitti, Marta Pacilio, Filippo Galli and Chiara Lauri
Affiliation:
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, ,Italy
Keywords:
Molecular imaging, inflammation, nuclear medicine, atherosclerotic plaques, vasculitis, antibodies.
Abstract: In the field of inflammation imaging, nuclear medicine techniques can be considered as a non-invasive
tool to early detect pathophysiological changes in affected tissues. These changes usually occur before clinical
onset of symptoms and before the development of anatomical changes, that are commonly detected by radiological
procedures. This is particularly important for prognostic purposes, therapy decision making and for therapy
follow-up. Here we review the current state-of-the art of nuclear medicine for diagnostic purposes in different
conditions characterized by a chronic inflammation, such as vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, vasculitis, rheumatoid
arthritis, Sjogren syndrome, autoimmune thyroid diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, Coeliac disease,
Type 1 diabetes mellitus and other immunological diseases. Overall, we describe several different approaches
based on radiolabeled cells, peptides and antibodies or FDG. It emerges the role of PET and of hybrid cameras in
particular (SPECT/CT and PET/CT) for diagnosis of these disorders and for therapy decision making and followup.
