Imaging of Myocardial αβ Integrin Expression for Evaluation of Myocardial Injury After Acute Myocardial Infarction

[Ga]Ga-NODAGA-Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) is a PET tracer targeting αβ integrin, which is upregulated during angiogenesis soon after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We prospectively evaluated determinants of myocardial uptake of [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD and its associations with left ventricular (LV) function in patients after AMI. Myocardial blood flow and [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake (60 min after injection) were evaluated by PET in 31 patients 7.7 ± 3.8 d after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation AMI. Transthoracic echocardiography of LV function was performed on the day of PET and at the 6-mo follow-up. PET images showed increased uptake of [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD in the ischemic area at risk (AAR), predominantly in injured myocardial segments. The SUV in the segment with the highest uptake (SUV) in the ischemic AAR was higher than the SUV of the remote myocardium (0.73 ± 0.16 vs. 0.51 ± 0.11, < 0.001). Multivariable predictors of [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake in the AAR included high peak N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide ( < 0.001), low LV ejection fraction, low global longitudinal strain ( = 0.01), and low longitudinal strain in the AAR ( = 0.01). [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake corrected for myocardial blood flow and perfusable tissue fraction in the AAR predicted improvement in global longitudinal strain at follow-up ( = 0.002), independent of peak troponin, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and LV ejection fraction. [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake shows increased αβ integrin expression in the ischemic AAR early after AMI that is associated with regional and global systolic dysfunction, as well as increased LV filling pressure. Increased [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake predicts improvement of global LV function 6 mo after AMI.