A new way to scan for inflammation in the heart and blood vessels

Novel imaging biomarker for detection of regional cardiovascular inflammation using Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Inflammation plays an important role in various heart and circulatory diseases. Being able to measure inflammation in the heart and blood vessels is therefore critical for studying and diagnosing heart and circulatory diseases. Dr Adriana Tavares and her team are going to investigate whether a method called ‘new positron emission tomography’ (PET) could be used to scan for inflammation in people with heart disease. PET scans use ‘tracers’ – where a type of radiation is attached to molecules, so that their movement around the body can be tracked. When scientists want to follow immune cells, they usually attach a tracer to a biological molecule, called TPSO, which is found in immune cells. However, current TSPO PET tracers either use a radioactive label that doesn’t last very long, or does not attach strongly enough to the TSPO target. Some people also have a genetic feature which means the technique won’t work as well for them. Dr Adriana Tavares has developed a new tracer called LW223 which moves easily throughout the body and can bind the target TSPO molecule even if a patient carries the genetic feature. In this project, her team will test the tracer’s potential by tracking the signal inside the body over time. The tracking studies will be carried out both in healthy conditions and after a heart attack. If the new tracer works it could improve our ability to measure inflammation and could assist diagnosis of patients with heart and circulatory conditions.