AUTHOR=Emeto Theophilus I. , Alele Faith O. , Smith Amy M. , Smith Felicity M. , Dougan Tammy , Golledge Jonathan 

TITLE=Use of Nanoparticles As Contrast Agents for the Functional and Molecular Imaging of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2017.00016

DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2017.00016

ISSN=2297-055X

ABSTRACT=<p>Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a degenerative disease of the aorta common in adults older than 65 years of age. AAA is usually imaged using ultrasound or computed tomography. Molecular imaging technologies employing nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as novel ways to quantify pathological processes, such as inflammation, within AAAs as a means to identify the risk of rapid progression or rupture. This article reviews the current evidence supporting the role of NP-based imaging in the management of AAA. Currently, ultrasmall superparamagnetic NPs enhanced magnetic resonance imaging appears to hold the greatest potential for imaging macrophage-mediated inflammation in human AAA.</p>