Metabolic and Molecular Imaging of Atherosclerosis and Venous Thromboembolism

Abstract

Metabolic and molecular imaging continues to advance our understanding of vascular disease pathophysiology. At present, ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is the most widely utilized clinical tool for metabolic and molecular imaging of atherosclerosis. However, novel nuclear tracers and intravascular optical near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging catheters are emerging to assess new biological targets in vivo and in coronary arteries. This review highlights current metabolic and molecular imaging clinical and near-clinical applications within atherosclerosis and venous thromboembolism (VTE), and explores the potential for metabolic and molecular imaging to impact patient-level risk prediction and disease treatment.