The Potential Role of Total Body PET Imaging in Assessment of Atherosclerosis.

Recent advances in molecular imaging and PET instrumentation will be of great value in assessing atherosclerosis plaques and other cardiovascular disorders. Atherosclerosis is systemic and involves critical arteries. Total body PET imaging will allow assessment of disease throughout the body as well as therapeutic monitoring. Because of the high sensitivity of total body PET, delayed imaging can be performed hours after administering tracer compounds, resulting in higher contrast at the disease site. Global assessment of the plaque burden throughout the body will substantially improve our ability to quantify plaque activity in the course of the disease.