Abstract #3825

Atherosclerotic Plaque Imaging with Integrated PET/MR: Preliminary Results in a Rabbit Model

Isabel Dregely¹, Christine Baumgartner², Eliane Weidl¹, Stephan G. Nekolla¹, Carl Ganter³, Jaroslav Pelisek⁴, Markus Schwaiger¹, Iina Laitinen¹

¹Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der TU Mnchen, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; ²Centre of Preclinical Research, Klinikum rechts der Isar der TU Mnchen, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; ³Department of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar der TU Mnchen, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; ⁴Clinic for Vascular Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar der TU Mnchen, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

In atherosclerosis characterization of the so-called vulnerable plaque, which is at risk for disruption, is critical to predict acute adverse events. In this study we demonstrate the ability to identify complex, vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in a rabbit model of carotid artery atherosclerosis combining morphological and functional information in simultaneous PET/MR imaging.