Detection of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque is the “holy grail” in cardiovascular research. Early and accurate identification of rupture-prone plaques, holds the potential to prevent life-threatening thrombotic events and enable efficient, precise, plaque-specific treatment strategies. Towards addressing this challenge multi-modal molecular imaging techniques have been used, with hybrid PET-MRI imaging
standing at the forefront of these efforts. Aim of the current proposal is to employ cutting-edge innovative simultaneous pre-clinical PET/MRI technology and assess its efficacy in identification of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque. The rupture-related molecular mechanism, which is investigated in the proposed project is the calcium deposition encountered in vulnerable plaques. For this purpose, we will employ 18FNaF, which is a PET-radiopharmaceutical holding the potential to selectively target and visualize early-stage micro-calcifications, which are associated with plaque instability. The project objectives will be tested in a recent innovative mouse model, the ApoE-/-Fbn1C1039G +/-, which is characterized by the development of rupture-prone plaques at specific time points. Furthermore, 18F-NaF findings will be validated with histological analyses, while associations with biochemical rupture-related markers will be explored. Finally, artificial intelligence-based models, incorporating imaging, biochemical, and histological data will be developed, aiming to improve risk stratification of coronary disease in the pre-clinical setting.