Korean J Nucl Med.  2004 Apr;38(2):175-179.

Molecular Nuclear Cardiac Imaging

• Lee DS
• Paeng JC

Abstract

Molecular nuclear cardiac imaging has included Tc-99m Annexin imaging to visualize myocardial apoptosis, but is now usually associated with gene therapy and cell-based therapy. Cardiac gene therapy was not successful so far but cardiac reporter gene imaging was made possible using HSV-TK (herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase) and F-18 FHBG (fluoro-hydroxymethylbutyl guanine) or I-124 FIAU (fluoro-deoxyiodo-arabino-furanosyluracil). Gene delivery was performed by needle injection with or without catheter guidance. TK expression did not last longer than 2 weeks in myocardium. Cell-based therapy of ischemic heart or failing heart looks promising, but biodistribution and differentiation of transplanted cells are not known. Reporter genes can be transfected to the stem/progenitor cells and cells containing these genes can be transplanted to the recipients using catheter-based purging or injection. Repeated imaging should be available and if promoter are varied to let express reporter transgenes, cellular (trans) differentiation can be studied. NIS (sodium iodide symporter) or D2R receptor genes are promising in this aspect.

Keyword

Molecular imaging; Nuclear cardiology; Reporter gene; Cell-based therapy; Gene therapy

MeSH Terms

Apoptosis
Catheters
Genes, Reporter
Genetic Therapy
Heart
Linear Energy Transfer
Molecular Imaging
Myocardium
Needles
Thymidine
Transgenes
Thymidine