68Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET in Patients With an Occluded Coronary Artery

Background: In patients with coronary artery disease, acute or chronic coronary artery occlusion is associated with various degrees of ischemic myocardial injury and left ventricle dysfunction. The integrin αVβ3 plays a role in angiogenesis, i.e. formation of new capillaries from pre-existing blood vessels that is increased during repair of ischemic myocardial injury. 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD is a radiopharmaceutical for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of αVβ3 integrin expression. Aim: This study aims at evaluating the feasibility of imaging myocardial αVβ3 integrin expression using 68-Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET and whether 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake is associated with myocardial contractile function in patients with an acute or chronic coronary artery occlusion. Study design: An academic, prospective, open-label study in 60 patients with an acute or chronic coronary occlusion. Study population: 30 patients with an ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction weeks and left ventricular ejection fraction \<50%. 30 patients with planned percutaneous re-opening of a chronic coronary total occlusion and left ventricular ejection fraction \<50%. Study procedures: Patients will undergo cardiac 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD PET within 3 to 14 days after an ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction or within 4 weeks before and 2 weeks after planned percutaneous re-opening of chronic coronary total occlusion. Myocardial perfusion reserve will be evaluated in patients with chronic total occlusion by PET. Echocardiography will be performed at the time of PET imaging and repeated 6 months later to evaluate global and regional left ventricle contractile function. Data on relevant cardiovascular clinical history and blood sample will be obtained at imaging visits. Cardiac events will be evaluated after two years. End-points: Primary: Myocardial uptake of 68-Ga-NODAGA-RGD after an acute myocardial infarction or before and after opening of chronic coronary occlusion. Secondary: Global and regional left ven