Personalized Cardiac Imaging with New PET Radiotracers

Purpose of Review This article reviews recent developments in the application of positron emission tomography (PET) for personalized cardiac imaging. Recent Findings PET imaging has improved our understanding of various cardiovascular pathologies by probing the molecular pathways associated with specific cardiovascular diseases. The use of PET can improve disease detection and influence management strategies. PET has improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis by imaging several key features including calcification, inflammation, apoptosis, and hypoxia. Molecular imaging of myocardial inflammation and cardiac sympathetic innervation is well established and several new promising PET radiotracers have been developed. Roles for the molecular imaging of aortic valve disease and mitochondrial function are also emerging.