Novel PET Tracer Capable of Predicting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture
Tested so far in animal models, this tracer could further the development of treatments for this life-threatening disease for which there are currently no therapies.
A new PET radiotracer can effectively target a biomarker associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), potentially predicting when they will rupture.
This research, presented during the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2021 Annual Meeting, is significant because using this radiotracer can improve AAA diagnosis and provide information that can further AAA treatment development. Currently there are no treatments for this largely asymptomatic, life-threatening degenerative vascular disease.
For more SNMMI 2021 coverage, click here.
The results of this study can go a long way in improving care for patients affected by AAA, investigators said.
64Cu-DOTA-ECL1i PET/CT image of a patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. CTA and CT images show an aneurysmal abdominal aorta (arrow). PET and PET/CT images demonstrate specific tracer uptake within the aneurysm, with elevated localization to the aortic wall (arrow).
CREDIT: Image created by Gyu Seong Heo, Lisa Detering, Deborah Sultan, Hannah P. Luehmann, Richard Laforest, Robert J. Gropler, Yongjian Liu, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Sergio Sastriques, Batool Arif, Santiago Elizondo Benedetto, Sean English, Section of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Chieh-Yu Lin, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
“Right now, clinical diagnosis of AAA relies on anatomic measurements of AAA diameter, which is a poor marker for the prediction of rupture,” said Gyu Seong Heo, Ph.D., a post-doctoral researcher at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. “Thus, there is an unmet clinical need for a novel molecular biomarker to determine the underlying processes that lead to aneurysm expansion and rupture and to serve as a therapeutic target for better management of AAA patients.”
Heo’s team identified chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) as a possible, novel biomarker for AAA. For their study, they developed 64Cu-DOTA-ECL1i. It has been confirmed as safe and effective, and it has been used for first-in-AAA patient imaging of CCR2.
They used the tracer in pre-clinical animal AAA rupture models to evaluate CCR2-targeted treatments and found the imaging was highly suggestive impending AAA ruptures. They also demonstrated, in a specific group of animals, CCR2 inhibitor is an effective in preventing AAA rupture.
Despite only being tested so far in animals, the radiotracer holds promise in human trials, the team said.
“Given the availability of CCR2 inhibitors for human uses, our work holds great potential to assess AAA vulnerability, screen AAA patients for CCR2-targeted treatment, and determine treatment response for optimal outcomes,” Heo said.
For more coverage based on industry expert insights and research, subscribe to the Diagnostic Imaging e-Newsletter here.
Photon-Counting Computed Tomography: Eleven Takeaways from a New Literature Review
May 27th 2025In a review of 155 studies, researchers examined the capabilities of photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) for enhanced accuracy, tissue characterization, artifact reduction and reduced radiation dosing across thoracic, abdominal, and cardiothoracic imaging applications.
Can AI Predict Future Lung Cancer Risk from a Single CT Scan?
May 19th 2025In never-smokers, deep learning assessment of single baseline low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans demonstrated a 79 percent AUC for predicting lung cancer up to six years later, according to new research presented today at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2025 International Conference.
Can Emerging AI Software Offer Detection of CAD on CCTA on Par with Radiologists?
May 14th 2025In a study involving over 1,000 patients who had coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) exams, AI software demonstrated a 90 percent AUC for assessments of cases > CAD-RADS 3 and 4A and had a 98 percent NPV for obstructive coronary artery disease.
