Imaging iNOS Activity Using [18F] (+/-) NOS With Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in Cellular Inflammation.

Detailed Summary

The primary purpose of this study is to measure the level of an enzyme in a patient's heart called inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging with a radioactive tracer called 18F-NOS. These PET results will be compared to tissue results obtained during routine endomyocardial heart biopsy. The enzyme iNOS produces nitric oxide in inflammatory diseases such as acute heart transplant rejection, diabetes, Alzheimer's and cancer. Thus, PET with the radioactive tracer 18F-NOS may be a useful tool for detecting the early stages of these diseases. The safety of 18F-NOS during the study will also be assessed. All PET imaging will be performed with a CTI/Siemens Biograph 40 PET/CT scanner. Protocol was revised to add new imaging modality, Biograph mMR PET-MR scanner in order to investigate new hardware and software in order to optimize scanning procedures in order to refine image quality so that we can apply the findings to future standard clinical scans and research imaging studies. Ten additional status-post OHT patients who are scheduled for standard of care endomyocardial biopsy for allograft rejection surveillance will undergo PET/MR imaging with \[18F\](+/-)NOS.

Study Details

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Interventions