Utility of multimodal molecular imaging in the diagnosis and decision-making in arterial diseases

Arterial diseases are prevalent in the general population, particularly in the elderly, and they are among the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nuclear imaging is a usefu l tool in diagnosis and follow-up in different areas of medicine, and over the last 2 decades, these study modalities have become more relevant in the field of angiolog y and vascular surgery due to their potential benefit in the interpretation of pathophysiological mechanisms associated with the natural history and severity of diseases that affect the circulation such as vasculitis, degenera t i v e aortic aneu-rysms (AA), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and complications following reconstructive procedures such as graft infections. The literature has shown evidence of an impor t a n t number of radiotracers for specific molecules involved in the activity of these entities and their utility as predictors during surveillance and possible therapeutic targets. The present narra t i v e review aims to describe the use of nuclear medicine, imaging methods, and radiotracers that have been applied in arterial diseases, as well as the advantages and considerations, their importance in the diagnosis and follow-up of these complex groups of patients, and future perspectives.