A role for artificial intelligence in molecular imaging of infection and inflammation

The detection of occult infections and low-grade inflammation in clinical practice remains challenging and much depending on readers' expertise. Although molecular imaging, like [F-18]FDG PET or radiolabeled leukocyte scintigraphy, offers quantitative and reproducible whole body data on inflammatory responses its interpretation is limited to visual analysis. This often leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment, as well as untapped areas of potential application. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers innovative approaches to mine the wealth of imaging data and has led to disruptive breakthroughs in other medical domains already. Here, we discuss how AI-based tools can improve the detection sensitivity of molecular imaging in infection and inflammation but also how AI might push the data analysis beyond current application toward predicting outcome and long-term risk assessment

Advanced Echocardiography for the Diagnosis and Management of Infective Endocarditis

Echocardiography is fundamental for the management of infective endocarditis (IE) across all stages of the illness including diagnosis, surveillance during medical therapy, identification of prognostic markers, planning perioperative intervention, postoperative assessment, and follow-up after completion of definitive therapy. Modern era echocardiography (echo) offers outstanding temporal and spatial image resolution, providing the opportunity for early diagnosis of this life-threatening infection. Emerging imaging modalities, such as real-time three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography, offer a novel way of readily visualizing the extent of intracardiac infection and the relationship of pathology to adjacent cardiac structures, well before surgical intervention, without radiation exposure or significant risk to the patient. Echocardiography can have a positive impact on the management of every stage of this disease, with the opportunity to improve outcomes

Hot spot imaging in cardiovascular diseases:an information statement from SNMMI, ASNC, and EANM

This information statement from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and European Association of Nuclear Medicine describes the performance, interpretation, and reporting of hot spot imaging in nuclear cardiology. The field of nuclear cardiology has historically focused on cold spot imaging for the interpretation of myocardial ischemia and infarction. Hot spot imaging has been an important part of nuclear medicine, particularly for oncology or infection indications, and the use of hot spot imaging in nuclear cardiology continues to expand. This document focuses on image acquisition and processing, methods of quantification, indications, protocols, and reporting of hot spot imaging. Indications discussed include myocardial viability, myocardial inflammation, device or valve infection, large vessel vasculitis, valve calcification and vulnerable plaques, and cardiac amyloidosis. This document contextualizes the foundations of image quantification and highlights reporting in each indication for the cardiac nuclear imager.</p

Systems Radiology and Personalized Medicine

Medicine has evolved into a high level of specialization using the very detailed imaging of organs. This has impressively solved a multitude of acute health-related problems linked to single-organ diseases. Many diseases and pathophysiological processes, however, involve more than one organ. An organ-based approach is challenging when considering disease prevention and caring for elderly patients, or those with systemic chronic diseases or multiple co-morbidities. In addition, medical imaging provides more than a pretty picture. Much of the data are now revealed by quantitating algorithms with or without artificial intelligence. This Special Issue on “Systems Radiology and Personalized Medicine” includes reviews and original studies that show the strengths and weaknesses of structural and functional whole-body imaging for personalized medicine

IAEA Atlas of Cardiac PET/CT

This open access book presents a wide portfolio of examples of positron emission tomography coupled with computer tomography (PET/CT) studies in various cardiac conditions in order to provide a rationale for the implementation of this technology in an array of clinical conditions. Cardiovascular diseases are a major contributor to premature morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly affected by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), with more than 75% of all CVDs deaths occurring in these countries. For this reason, target 3.4 of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda aims at a 30% reduction in premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include CVDs, by 2030. Among CVDs, ischemic heart disease (IHD) plays an important role and, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), it was responsible for 15.96% of global deaths in 2017. Between 2000 and 2017, the number of IHD deaths worldwide increased by 0.26% per year. Several imaging tools help to non-invasively diagnose, stratify risk and guide management in cardiac disease. They include nuclear cardiology techniques, using either SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) or PET/CT. While myocardial imaging with SPECT has been fully embraced by the cardiology community and is widely available worldwide, PET/CT introduction has been slower, due not only to its higher costs, but also to the limited availability of PET/VCT scanners, mostly utilized for oncological applications. This book is an invaluable tool for nuclear medicine physicians, cardiologists and radiologists

IAEA Atlas of Cardiac PET/CT

This open access book presents a wide portfolio of examples of positron emission tomography coupled with computer tomography (PET/CT) studies in various cardiac conditions in order to provide a rationale for the implementation of this technology in an array of clinical conditions. Cardiovascular diseases are a major contributor to premature morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly affected by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), with more than 75% of all CVDs deaths occurring in these countries. For this reason, target 3.4 of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda aims at a 30% reduction in premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include CVDs, by 2030. Among CVDs, ischemic heart disease (IHD) plays an important role and, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), it was responsible for 15.96% of global deaths in 2017. Between 2000 and 2017, the number of IHD deaths worldwide increased by 0.26% per year. Several imaging tools help to non-invasively diagnose, stratify risk and guide management in cardiac disease. They include nuclear cardiology techniques, using either SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) or PET/CT. While myocardial imaging with SPECT has been fully embraced by the cardiology community and is widely available worldwide, PET/CT introduction has been slower, due not only to its higher costs, but also to the limited availability of PET/VCT scanners, mostly utilized for oncological applications. This book is an invaluable tool for nuclear medicine physicians, cardiologists and radiologists

The Tygerberg Endocarditis Cohort (TEC) Study

Medicine: Cardiolog