Imaging of Inflammation and Infection in Cardiovascular Diseases

This book addresses the most relevant imaging techniques in order to detect inflammation and infection in the most common cardiovascular diseases. The book presents data concerning molecular imaging (SPECT and PET) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for each disease, with a special focus on the emerging role of hybrid PET/MR imaging. Different non-ischemic and ischemic diseases as well as cardiac infections are addressed in detail; these include: Cardiac sarcoidosis, Cardiac amyloidosis, the vulnerable plaque, Post-infarction inflammatory alterations, Pericarditis, Myocarditis, Cardiac devices infections, and Endocarditis. The book also provides a comprehensive discussion on new targets and new tracers, to date mostly investigated at a pre-clinical stage, thus constituting an excellent basis for translational imaging. Imaging of Inflammation and Infection in Cardiovascular Diseases will be of interest not only for experts in clinical imaging, but also pre-clinical scientists and will be invaluable for both nuclear medicine physicians and radiologists.