Computed tomography pericoronary adipose tissue density predicts coronary allograft vasculopathy and adverse clinical outcomes after cardiac transplantation.

AIMS: To assess pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) density on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) as a marker of inflammatory disease activity in coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV). METHODS AND RESULTS: PCAT density, lesion volumes, and total vessel volume-to-myocardial mass ratio (V/M) were retrospectively measured in 126 CCTAs from 94 heart transplant patients [mean age 49 (SD 14.5) years, 40% female] who underwent imaging between 2010 and 2021; age- and sex-matched controls; and patients with atherosclerosis. PCAT density was higher in transplant patients with CAV [n = 40; -73.0 HU (SD 9.3)] than without CAV [n = 86; -77.9 HU (SD 8.2)], and controls [n = 12; -86.2 HU (SD 5.4)], P < 0.01 for both. Unlike patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (n = 32), CAV lesions were predominantly non-calcified and comprised of mostly fibrous or fibrofatty tissue. V/M was lower in patients with CAV than without [32.4 mm3/g (SD 9.7) vs. 41.4 mm3/g (SD 12.3), P < 0.0001]. PCAT density and V/M improved the ability to predict CAV from area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.75-0.85 when added to donor age and donor hypertension status (P < 0.0001). PCAT density above -66 HU was associated with a greater incidence of all-cause mortality {odds ratio [OR] 18.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.25-99.6], P < 0.01} and the composite endpoint of death, CAV progression, acute rejection, and coronary revascularization [OR 7.47 (95% CI 1.8-31.6), P = 0.01] over 5.3 (SD 2.1) years. CONCLUSION: Heart transplant patients with CAV have higher PCAT density and lower V/M than those without. Increased PCAT density is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. These CCTA metrics could be useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of CAV severity.

Marginal zone B cells produce 'natural' atheroprotective IgM antibodies in a T cell-dependent manner.

AIMS: The adaptive immune response plays an important role in atherosclerosis. In response to a high-fat/high-cholesterol (HF/HC) diet, marginal zone B (MZB) cells activate an atheroprotective programme by regulating the differentiation and accumulation of 'poorly differentiated' T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. On the other hand, Tfh cells activate the germinal centre response, which promotes atherosclerosis through the production of class-switched high-affinity antibodies. We therefore investigated the direct role of Tfh cells and the role of IL18 in Tfh differentiation in atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated atherosclerotic mouse models with selective genetic deletion of Tfh cells, MZB cells, or IL18 signalling in Tfh cells. Surprisingly, mice lacking Tfh cells had increased atherosclerosis. Lack of Tfh not only reduced class-switched IgG antibodies against oxidation-specific epitopes (OSEs) but also reduced atheroprotective natural IgM-type anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) antibodies, despite no alteration of natural B1 cells. Moreover, the absence of Tfh cells was associated with an accumulation of MZB cells with substantially reduced ability to secrete antibodies. In the same manner, MZB cell deficiency in Ldlr-/- mice was associated with a significant decrease in atheroprotective IgM antibodies, including natural anti-PC IgM antibodies. In humans, we found a positive correlation between circulating MZB-like cells and anti-OSE IgM antibodies. Finally, we identified an important role for IL18 signalling in HF/HC diet-induced Tfh. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal a previously unsuspected role of MZB cells in regulating atheroprotective 'natural' IgM antibody production in a Tfh-dependent manner, which could have important pathophysiological and therapeutic implications.

Use of coronarycomputed tomography for cardiovascular risk assessment in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are recognised risk factors for accelerated atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly in younger individuals and women who lack traditional CVD risk factors. Reflective of the critical role that inflammation plays in the formation, progression and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques, research into immune mechanisms of CVD has led to the identification of a range of therapeutic targets that are the subject of ongoing clinical trials. Several key inflammatory pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis are targeted in people with IMIDs. However, cardiovascular risk continues to be systematically underestimated by conventional risk assessment tools in the IMID population, resulting in considerable excess CVD burden and mortality. Hence, there is a pressing need to improve methods for CVD risk-stratification among patients with IMIDs, to better guide the use of statins and other prognostic interventions. CT coronary angiography (CTCA) is the current first-line investigation for diagnosing and assessing the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in many individuals with suspected angina. Whether CTCA is also useful in the general population for reclassifying asymptomatic individuals and improving long-term prognosis remains unknown. However, in the context of IMIDs, it is conceivable that the information provided by CTCA, including state-of-the-art assessments of coronary plaque, could be an important clinical adjunct in this high-risk patient population. This narrative review discusses the current literature about the use of coronary CT for CVD risk-stratification in three of the most common IMIDs including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

An Automated Method for Artifical Intelligence Assisted Diagnosis of Active Aortitis Using Radiomic Analysis of FDG PET-CT Images.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate an automated pipeline that could assist the diagnosis of active aortitis using radiomic imaging biomarkers derived from [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (FDG PET-CT) images. The aorta was automatically segmented by convolutional neural network (CNN) on FDG PET-CT of aortitis and control patients. The FDG PET-CT dataset was split into training (43 aortitis:21 control), test (12 aortitis:5 control) and validation (24 aortitis:14 control) cohorts. Radiomic features (RF), including SUV metrics, were extracted from the segmented data and harmonized. Three radiomic fingerprints were constructed: A-RFs with high diagnostic utility removing highly correlated RFs; B used principal component analysis (PCA); C-Random Forest intrinsic feature selection. The diagnostic utility was evaluated with accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Several RFs and Fingerprints had high AUC values (AUC > 0.8), confirmed by balanced accuracy, across training, test and external validation datasets. Good diagnostic performance achieved across several multi-centre datasets suggests that a radiomic pipeline can be generalizable. These findings could be used to build an automated clinical decision tool to facilitate objective and standardized assessment regardless of observer experience.

Molecular Imaging of Valvular Diseases and Cardiac Device Infection.

The use of positron emission tomography imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in the diagnostic workup of patients with suspected prosthetic valve endocarditis and cardiac device infection (implantable electronic device and left ventricular assist device) is gaining momentum in clinical practice. However, in the absence of prospective randomized trials, guideline recommendations about 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in this setting are currently largely based on expert opinion. Measurement of aortic valve microcalcification occurring as a healing response to valvular inflammation using 18F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography represents another promising clinical approach, which is associated with both the risk of native valve stenosis progression and bioprosthetic valve degeneration in research trials. In this review, we consider the role of molecular imaging in cardiac valvular diseases, including aortic stenosis and valvular endocarditis, as well as cardiac device infections.

Somatostatin Receptor PET/MR Imaging of Inflammation in Patients With Large Vessel Vasculitis and Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Assessing inflammatory disease activity in large vessel vasculitis (LVV) can be challenging by conventional measures. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate somatostatin receptor 2 (SST2) as a novel inflammation-specific molecular imaging target in LVV. METHODS: In a prospective, observational cohort study, in vivo arterial SST2 expression was assessed by positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) using 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FET-ßAG-TOCA. Ex vivo mapping of the imaging target was performed using immunofluorescence microscopy; imaging mass cytometry; and bulk, single-cell, and single-nucleus RNA sequencing. RESULTS: Sixty-one participants (LVV: n = 27; recent atherosclerotic myocardial infarction of ≤2 weeks: n = 25; control subjects with an oncologic indication for imaging: n = 9) were included. Index vessel SST2 maximum tissue-to-blood ratio was 61.8% (P < 0.0001) higher in active/grumbling LVV than inactive LVV and 34.6% (P = 0.0002) higher than myocardial infarction, with good diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve: ≥0.86; P < 0.001 for both). Arterial SST2 signal was not elevated in any of the control subjects. SST2 PET/MRI was generally consistent with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography imaging in LVV patients with contemporaneous clinical scans but with very low background signal in the brain and heart, allowing for unimpeded assessment of nearby coronary, myocardial, and intracranial artery involvement. Clinically effective treatment for LVV was associated with a 0.49 ± 0.24 (standard error of the mean [SEM]) (P = 0.04; 22.3%) reduction in the SST2 maximum tissue-to-blood ratio after 9.3 ± 3.2 months. SST2 expression was localized to macrophages, pericytes, and perivascular adipocytes in vasculitis specimens, with specific receptor binding confirmed by autoradiography. SSTR2-expressing macrophages coexpressed proinflammatory markers. CONCLUSIONS: SST2 PET/MRI holds major promise for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring in LVV. (PET Imaging of Giant Cell and Takayasu Arteritis [PITA], NCT04071691; Residual Inflammation and Plaque Progression Long-Term Evaluation [RIPPLE], NCT04073810).

Multimodality imaging of large-vessel vasculitis.

Multimodality cardiovascular imaging is an essential component of the clinical management of patients with large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), a chronic, relapsing and remitting inflammatory disease of the aorta and its major branches. Imaging is needed to confirm the initial diagnosis, to survey the extent and severity of arterial involvement, to screen for cardiovascular complications and for subsequent long-term disease monitoring. Indeed, diagnosing LVV can be challenging due to the non-specific nature of the presenting symptoms, which often evoke a broad differential. Identification of disease flares and persistent residual arteritis following conventional treatments for LVV present additional clinical challenges. However, by identifying and tracking arterial inflammation and injury, multimodality imaging can help direct the use of disease-modifying treatments that suppress inflammation and prevent or slow disease progression. Each of the non-invasive imaging modalities can provide unique and complementary information, contributing to different aspects of the overall clinical assessment. This article provides a focused review of the many roles of multimodality imaging in LVV.

Systematically evaluating DOTATATE and FDG as PET immuno-imaging tracers of cardiovascular inflammation.

In recent years, cardiovascular immuno-imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) has undergone tremendous progress in preclinical settings. Clinically, two approved PET tracers hold great potential for inflammation imaging in cardiovascular patients, namely FDG and DOTATATE. While the former is a widely applied metabolic tracer, DOTATATE is a relatively new PET tracer targeting the somatostatin receptor 2 (SST2). In the current study, we performed a detailed, head-to-head comparison of DOTATATE-based radiotracers and [18F]F-FDG in mouse and rabbit models of cardiovascular inflammation. For mouse experiments, we labeled DOTATATE with the long-lived isotope [64Cu]Cu to enable studying the tracer's mode of action by complementing in vivo PET/CT experiments with thorough ex vivo immunological analyses. For translational PET/MRI rabbit studies, we employed the more widely clinically used [68Ga]Ga-labeled DOTATATE, which was approved by the FDA in 2016. DOTATATE's pharmacokinetics and timed biodistribution were determined in control and atherosclerotic mice and rabbits by ex vivo gamma counting of blood and organs. Additionally, we performed in vivo PET/CT experiments in mice with atherosclerosis, mice subjected to myocardial infarction and control animals, using both [64Cu]Cu-DOTATATE and [18F]F-FDG. To evaluate differences in the tracers' cellular specificity, we performed ensuing ex vivo flow cytometry and gamma counting. In mice subjected to myocardial infarction, in vivo [64Cu]Cu-DOTATATE PET showed higher differential uptake between infarcted (SUVmax 1.3, IQR, 1.2-1.4, N = 4) and remote myocardium (SUVmax 0.7, IQR, 0.5-0.8, N = 4, p = 0.0286), and with respect to controls (SUVmax 0.6, IQR, 0.5-0.7, N = 4, p = 0.0286), than [18F]F-FDG PET. In atherosclerotic mice, [64Cu]Cu-DOTATATE PET aortic signal, but not [18F]F-FDG PET, was higher compared to controls (SUVmax 1.1, IQR, 0.9-1.3 and 0.5, IQR, 0.5-0.6, respectively, N = 4, p = 0.0286). In both models, [64Cu]Cu-DOTATATE demonstrated preferential accumulation in macrophages with respect to other myeloid cells, while [18F]F-FDG was taken up by macrophages and other leukocytes. In a translational PET/MRI study in atherosclerotic rabbits, we then compared [68Ga]Ga-DOTATATE and [18F]F-FDG for the assessment of aortic inflammation, combined with ex vivo radiometric assays and near-infrared imaging of macrophage burden. Rabbit experiments showed significantly higher aortic accumulation of both [68Ga]Ga-DOTATATE and [18F]F-FDG in atherosclerotic (SUVmax 0.415, IQR, 0.338-0.499, N = 32 and 0.446, IQR, 0.387-0.536, N = 27, respectively) compared to control animals (SUVmax 0.253, IQR, 0.197-0.285, p = 0.0002, N = 10 and 0.349, IQR, 0.299-0.423, p = 0.0159, N = 11, respectively). In conclusion, we present a detailed, head-to-head comparison of the novel SST2-specific tracer DOTATATE and the validated metabolic tracer [18F]F-FDG for the evaluation of inflammation in small animal models of cardiovascular disease. Our results support further investigations on the use of DOTATATE to assess cardiovascular inflammation as a complementary readout to the widely used [18F]F-FDG.

Pattern of arterial inflammation and inflammatory markers in people living with HIV compared with uninfected people.

STUDY DESIGN: To compare arterial inflammation (AI) between people living with HIV (PLWH) and uninfected people as assessed by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 20 PLWH and 20 uninfected people with no known cardiovascular disease and at least 3 traditional cardiovascular risk factors. All patients underwent 18F-FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and neck. Biomarkers linked to inflammation and atherosclerosis were also determined. The primary outcome was AI in ascending aorta (AA) measured as mean maximum target-to-background ratio (TBRmax). The independent relationships between HIV status and both TBRmax and biomarkers were evaluated by multivariable linear regression adjusted for body mass index, creatinine, statin therapy, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular 10-year estimated risk (ASCVD). RESULTS: Unadjusted mean TBRmax in AA was slightly higher but not statistically different (P = .18) in PLWH (2.07; IQR 1.97, 2.32]) than uninfected people (2.01; IQR 1.85, 2.16]). On multivariable analysis, PLWH had an independent risk of increased mean log-TBRmax in AA (coef = 0.12; 95%CI 0.01,0.22; P = .032). HIV infection was independently associated with higher values of interleukin-10 (coef = 0.83; 95%CI 0.34, 1.32; P = .001), interferon-γ (coef. = 0.90; 95%CI 0.32, 1.47; P = .003), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) (coef. = 0.75; 95%CI: 0.42, 1.08, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with high cardiovascular risk, HIV status was an independent predictor of increased TBRmax in AA. PLWH also had an increased independent risk of IFN-γ, IL-10, and VCAM-1 levels.

Pericoronary and periaortic adipose tissue density are associated with inflammatory disease activity in Takayasu arteritis and atherosclerosis.

AIMS: To examine pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) and periaortic adipose tissue (PAAT) density on coronary computed tomography angiography for assessing arterial inflammation in Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: PCAT and PAAT density was measured in coronary (n = 1016) and aortic (n = 108) segments from 108 subjects [TAK + coronary artery disease (CAD), n = 36; TAK, n = 18; atherosclerotic CAD, n = 32; matched controls, n = 22]. Median PCAT and PAAT densities varied between groups (mPCAT: P < 0.0001; PAAT: P = 0.0002). PCAT density was 7.01 ± standard error of the mean (SEM) 1.78 Hounsfield Unit (HU) higher in coronary segments from TAK + CAD patients than stable CAD patients (P = 0.0002), and 8.20 ± SEM 2.04 HU higher in TAK patients without CAD than controls (P = 0.0001). mPCAT density was correlated with Indian Takayasu Clinical Activity Score (r = 0.43, P = 0.001) and C-reactive protein (r = 0.41, P < 0.0001) and was higher in active vs. inactive TAK (P = 0.002). mPCAT density above -74 HU had 100% sensitivity and 95% specificity for differentiating active TAK from controls [area under the curve = 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.97-1)]. The association of PCAT density and coronary arterial inflammation measured by 68Ga-DOTATATE positron emission tomography (PET) equated to an increase of 2.44 ± SEM 0.77 HU in PCAT density for each unit increase in 68Ga-DOTATATE maximum tissue-to-blood ratio (P = 0.002). These findings remained in multivariable sensitivity analyses adjusted for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: PCAT and PAAT density are higher in TAK than atherosclerotic CAD or controls and are associated with clinical, biochemical, and PET markers of inflammation. Owing to excellent diagnostic accuracy, PCAT density could be useful as a clinical adjunct for assessing disease activity in TAK.

Carotid Atheroinflammation Is Associated With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Severity.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a systemic inflammatory disease, with common inflammatory processes implicated in both atheroma vulnerability and blood-brain barrier disruption. This prospective multimodal imaging study aimed to measure directly the association between systemic atheroma inflammation ("atheroinflammation") and downstream chronic cerebral small vessel disease severity. Methods: Twenty-six individuals with ischemic stroke with ipsilateral carotid artery stenosis of >50% underwent 18fluoride-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography within 2 weeks of stroke. Small vessel disease severity and white matter hyperintensity volume were assessed using 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging also within 2 weeks of stroke. Results: Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was independently associated with more severe small vessel disease (odds ratio 6.18, 95% confidence interval 2.1-18.2, P < 0.01 for the non-culprit carotid artery) and larger white matter hyperintensity volumes (coefficient = 14.33 mL, P < 0.01 for the non-culprit carotid artery). Conclusion: These proof-of-concept results have important implications for our understanding of the neurovascular interface and potential therapeutic exploitation in the management of systemic atherosclerosis, particularly non-stenotic disease previously considered asymptomatic, in order to reduce the burden of chronic cerebrovascular disease.

Native Aortic Valve Disease Progression and Bioprosthetic Valve Degeneration in Patients With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: Major uncertainties remain regarding disease activity within the retained native aortic valve, and regarding bioprosthetic valve durability, after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to assess native aortic valve disease activity and bioprosthetic valve durability in patients with TAVI in comparison with subjects with bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). METHODS: In a multicenter cross-sectional observational cohort study, patients with TAVI or bioprosthetic SAVR underwent baseline echocardiography, computed tomography angiography, and 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography. Participants (n=47) were imaged once with 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography either at 1 month (n=9, 19%), 2 years (n=22, 47%), or 5 years (16, 34%) after valve implantation. Patients subsequently underwent serial echocardiography to assess for changes in valve hemodynamic performance (change in peak aortic velocity) and evidence of structural valve dysfunction. Comparisons were made with matched patients with bioprosthetic SAVR (n=51) who had undergone the same imaging protocol. RESULTS: In patients with TAVI, native aortic valves demonstrated 18F-NaF uptake around the outside of the bioprostheses that showed a modest correlation with the time from TAVI (r=0.36, P=0.023). 18F-NaF uptake in the bioprosthetic leaflets was comparable between the SAVR and TAVI groups (target-to-background ratio, 1.3 [1.2-1.7] versus 1.3 [1.2-1.5], respectively; P=0.27). The frequencies of imaging evidence of bioprosthetic valve degeneration at baseline were similar on echocardiography (6% versus 8%, respectively; P=0.78), computed tomography (15% versus 14%, respectively; P=0.87), and positron emission tomography (15% versus 29%, respectively; P=0.09). Baseline 18F-NaF uptake was associated with a subsequent change in peak aortic velocity for both TAVI (r=0.7, P<0.001) and SAVR (r=0.7, P<0.001). On multivariable analysis, 18F-NaF uptake was the only predictor of peak velocity progression (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with TAVI, native aortic valves demonstrate evidence of ongoing active disease. Across imaging modalities, TAVI degeneration is of similar magnitude to bioprosthetic SAVR, suggesting comparable midterm durability. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02304276.

PET Imaging of Post-infarct Myocardial Inflammation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To examine the use of positron emission tomography (PET) for imaging post-infarct myocardial inflammation and repair. RECENT FINDINGS: Dysregulated immune responses after myocardial infarction are associated with adverse cardiac remodelling and an increased likelihood of ischaemic heart failure. PET imaging utilising novel tracers can be applied to visualise different components of the post-infarction inflammatory and repair processes. This approach could offer unique pathophysiological insights that could prove useful for the identification and risk-stratification of individuals who would ultimately benefit most from emerging immune-modulating therapies. PET imaging could also bridge the clinical translational gap as a surrogate measure of drug efficacy in early-stage clinical trials in patients with myocardial infarction. The use of hybrid PET/MR imaging, in particular, offers the additional advantage of simultaneous in vivo molecular imaging and detailed assessment of myocardial function, viability and tissue characterisation. Further research is needed to realise the true clinical translational value of PET imaging after myocardial infarction.

Assessing robustness of carotid artery CT angiography radiomics in the identification of culprit lesions in cerebrovascular events.

Radiomics, quantitative feature extraction from radiological images, can improve disease diagnosis and prognostication. However, radiomic features are susceptible to image acquisition and segmentation variability. Ideally, only features robust to these variations would be incorporated into predictive models, for good generalisability. We extracted 93 radiomic features from carotid artery computed tomography angiograms of 41 patients with cerebrovascular events. We tested feature robustness to region-of-interest perturbations, image pre-processing settings and quantisation methods using both single- and multi-slice approaches. We assessed the ability of the most robust features to identify culprit and non-culprit arteries using several machine learning algorithms and report the average area under the curve (AUC) from five-fold cross validation. Multi-slice features were superior to single for producing robust radiomic features (67 vs. 61). The optimal image quantisation method used bin widths of 25 or 30. Incorporating our top 10 non-redundant robust radiomics features into ElasticNet achieved an AUC of 0.73 and accuracy of 69% (compared to carotid calcification alone [AUC: 0.44, accuracy: 46%]). Our results provide key information for introducing carotid CT radiomics into clinical practice. If validated prospectively, our robust carotid radiomic set could improve stroke prediction and target therapies to those at highest risk.

Atherosclerosis imaging using PET: Insights and applications.

PET imaging is able to harness biological processes to characterise high-risk features of atherosclerotic plaque prone to rupture. Current radiotracers are able to track inflammation, microcalcification, hypoxia, and neoangiogenesis within vulnerable plaque. 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) is the most commonly used radiotracer in vascular studies and is employed as a surrogate marker of plaque inflammation. Increasingly, 18 F-FDG and other PET tracers are also being used to provide imaging endpoints in cardiovascular interventional trials. The evolution of novel PET radiotracers, imaging protocols, and hybrid scanners are likely to enable more efficient and accurate characterisation of high-risk plaque. This review explores the role of PET imaging in atherosclerosis with a focus on PET tracers utilised in clinical research and the applications of PET imaging to cardiovascular drug development.

Novel Positron Emission Tomography Tracers for Imaging Vascular Inflammation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide a focused update on recent advances in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in vascular inflammatory diseases and consider future directions in the field. RECENT FINDINGS: While PET imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) can provide a useful marker of disease activity in several vascular inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis and large-vessel vasculitis, this tracer lacks inflammatory cell specificity and is not a practical solution for imaging the coronary vasculature because of avid background myocardial signal. To overcome these limitations, research is ongoing to identify novel PET tracers that can more accurately track individual components of vascular immune responses. Use of these novel PET tracers could lead to a better understanding of underlying disease mechanisms and help inform the identification and stratification of patients for newly emerging immune-modulatory therapies. Future research is needed to realise the true clinical translational value of PET imaging in vascular inflammatory diseases.