# SPECT Imaging of Peripheral Vascular Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN · 2022 · $792,714

## Abstract

In this proposed project, we will develop a so-called Dynamic Extremity SPECT (DE-SPECT) system that
utilizes the 3-D HEXIETC CZT detector technology and a synthetic compound-eye camera design for dynamic
and multi-tracer SPECT imaging of PVD in lower extremities.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) affects approximately 8 million Americans and an estimated 10% of the
worldwide population, with increasing prevalence in older individuals. PVD has significant health implications,
resulting in progressive limb ischemia that can lead to life-altering claudication, non-healing ulcers, limb
amputation, and, in severe cases, death. Despite these numbers and a close association with coronary artery
disease, PVD remains a relatively under-diagnosed disease. Diabetic patients often require revascularization
along with medical and life style interventions to achieve symptom relief, wound healing and limb salvage and
have higher rates of restenosis, and higher mortality rates following revascularization when compared to non-
DM patients. Although treating large vessel disease and restoration of skeletal muscle perfusion is important for
critical limb ischemia and a critical contributor to intermittent claudication, there are other important metabolic
and molecular abnormalities involved that need to be evaluated in conjunction with changes in muscle perfusion
in order to optimize therapy. Revascularization of obstructed vessels often results in an incomplete or
heterogeneous restoration of flow and does not fully restore the functional limitations in PAD patients with
intermittent claudication.
 The proposed DE-SPECT system could provide a unique non-invasive approach for the comprehensive
assessment of molecular and physiological changes of the lower extremities in patients with peripheral vascular
disease (PVD) in response to therapeutic interventions and assessing these changes will be critical for optimizing
and following PVD therapy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10460368
- **Project number:** 5R01HL145786-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
- **Principal Investigator:** Chi Liu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $792,714
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10460368

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10460368, SPECT Imaging of Peripheral Vascular Disease (5R01HL145786-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10460368. Licensed CC0.

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