Imaging angiogenesis in atherosclerosis in large arteries with 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET/CT: relationship with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Matthieu Dietz, Christel H. Kamani, Emmanuel Deshayes, Vincent Dunet, Periklis Mitsakis, George Coukos, Marie Nicod Lalonde, Niklaus Schaefer, John O. Prior
Abstract
Abstract Background Integrin alpha-V-beta-3 (αvβ3) pathway is involved in intraplaque angiogenesis and inflammation and represents a promising target for molecular imaging in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical correlates of arterial wall accumulation of 68 Ga-NODAGA-RGD, a specific α v β 3 integrin ligand for PET. Materials and methods The data of 44 patients who underwent 68 Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET/CT scans were retrospectively analyzed. Tracer accumulation in the vessel wall of major arteries was analyzed semi-quantitatively by blood-pool-corrected target-to-background ratios. Tracer uptake was compared with clinically documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular risk factors and calcified plaque burden. Data were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson correlation and Spearman correlation. Results 68 Ga-NODAGA-RGD arterial uptake was significantly higher in patients with previous clinically documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (mean TBR 2.44 [2.03–2.55] vs. 1.81 [1.56–1.96], p = 0.001) and showed a significant correlation with prior cardiovascular or cerebrovascular event ( r = 0.33, p = 0.027), BMI ( ρ = 0.38, p = 0.01), plaque burden ( ρ = 0.31, p = 0.04) and hypercholesterolemia ( r = 0.31, p = 0.04). Conclusions 68 Ga-NODAGA-RGD holds promise as a non-invasive marker of disease activity in atherosclerosis, providing information about intraplaque angiogenesis.