# Ga68-DOTATATE PET imaging of plaque inflammation

> **NIH NIH R01** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2020 · $792,197

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Among
the several cell types and processes involved in atherogenesis, the role of macrophages in the formation of
high-risk plaques is well established and characterized. The past 15 years have seen tremendous efforts to
develop and validate non-invasive imaging to quantify plaque macrophages and improve CVD patients
management. Even nowadays, the role of imaging continues to be advocated to better define atherosclerosis
and to improve assessment of therapeutic regimens.18F-FDG PET is a non-invasive, translational imaging
technique widely used and validated to quantify plaque macrophages in vivo. However, vascular 18F-FDG PET
still carries several important limitations. For example, while 18F-FDG vessel wall accumulation has been
consistently correlated to plaque inflammation, uptake is not specific for macrophages, and can be influenced
by other factors, such as hypoxia and vascular density. To overcome these limitations, several novel PET
tracers more specific to unique molecules, receptors and cells involved in plaque inflammation are currently
being investigated. 68Ga-DOTATATE is a novel PET tracer, recently approved by the FDA to improve
detection of somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) -positive neuroendocrine tumors. SSTR2s are also
overexpressed on activated plaque macrophages. Preliminary studies have found 68Ga-DOTATATE to
accumulate in macrophage-rich plaques in atherosclerotic mice. Retrospective analyses have confirmed
accumulation in the atherosclerotic vessel wall in cancer patients. Building on these previous studies, we
propose to establish and translate 68Ga-DOTATATE as a specific, non-invasive marker of atherosclerotic
plaque macrophages. In parallel with mechanistic studies in atherosclerotic mice on PET/CT, we will translate
68Ga-DOTATATE PET on a combined PET/MR scanner in large animals (rabbits) and patients with coronary
atherosclerosis. 68Ga-DOTATATE may be particularly useful when imaging this challenging vascular territory,
where 18F-FDG PET is notoriously difficult because of the strong, non-specific myocardial background uptake.
Our laboratory is deeply involved in translational PET/MRI for imaging of coronary atherosclerosis, by
developing innovative motion correction, partial volume correction algorithms and dynamic PET imaging to
improve PET tracers uptake in the coronary arteries (R01 HL071021, PI Fayad). We anticipate that
establishing 68Ga-DOTATATE PET may allow improving the management of CVD patients, the quantitative
assessment of novel anti-atherosclerotic compounds, and, in the future, prove useful to improve diagnosis of
other CVD conditions. While beyond the scope of our work, this proposal is the basis for more extensive,
prospective clinical trials investigating the predictive value of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET and other promising
imaging markers for CVD events.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9914121
- **Project number:** 5R01HL135878-04
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Zahi A. Fayad
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $792,197
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-05-15 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9914121

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9914121, Ga68-DOTATATE PET imaging of plaque inflammation (5R01HL135878-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9914121. Licensed CC0.

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