Radionuclide Imaging of Heart-Brain Connections

Greater recognition of the neuroimmune axis and its component mechanisms that underlie the heart-brain connection will result in greater clinical recognition and attention to factors that contribute to heightened crosstalk between these organs. Molecular imaging is uniquely positioned to study the heart-brain connection through its capacity to perform targeted whole-body imaging with a variety of tracers that characterize biological processes, such as perfusion, metabolism, autonomic nervous system and neurohormonal activity, and inflammation. Although additional research is needed (Box 1), these tracers can be leveraged in conjunction with other imaging modalities and serologic biomarkers to further refine the understanding of the underlying biology and how it varies between sexes. Furthermore, these same techniques can then be used to identify potential therapies as well as evaluate their impact on disparate tissues and biological intermediaries with the goal of reducing the consequent disease in both the heart and the brain.