Molecular imaging of the brain-heart axis provides insights into cardiac dysfunction after cerebral ischemia.

Ischemic stroke imparts elevated risk of heart failure though the underlying mechanisms remain poorly described. We aimed to characterize the influence of cerebral ischemic injury on cardiac function using multimodality molecular imaging to investigate brain and cardiac morphology and tissue inflammation in two mouse models of variable stroke severity. Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) generated extensive stroke damage (56.

Radionuclide Imaging of the Molecular Mechanisms Linking Heart and Brain in Ischemic Syndromes.

For the heart and the brain, clinical observations suggest that an acute ischemic event experienced by one organ is associated with an increased risk for future acute events and chronic dysfunction of the reciprocal organ. Beyond atherosclerosis as a common systemic disease, various molecular mechanisms are thought to be involved in this interaction. Molecular-targeted nuclear imaging may identify the contribution of factors, such as the neurohumoral, circulatory, or especially the immune system, by combining specific radiotracers with whole-body acquisition and global as well as regional multiorgan analysis.