Liver Disease
Liver inflammation may have various causes: toxic, infectious, autoimmune, metabolic and others. Chronic inflammation and prolonged injury results in liver fibrosis and, unless treated effectively, may ultimately lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. The current standard for diagnosing liver fibrosis and cirrhosis is invasive biopsy, which is risky and prone to sampling errors.
An increased rate of liver apoptosis is very likely to be the first cellular response to a broad spectrum of hepatic insults and is believed to promote inflammation and fibrosis directly and indirectly. Increased liver apoptosis can further lead to severe liver damage and liver failure. Molecular imaging of apoptosis can therefore provide a direct measure of the extent and rate of liver damage, and in a non-invasive manner.
Transplant Rejection
Apoptosis plays an important role in the rejection of transplanted solid organs, such as kidney, liver, heart and intestine. Currently, the most reliable tool for early detection of rejection is invasive biopsy.
By measuring the underlying ongoing apoptotic rate, molecular imaging of apoptosis may provide an early indication of the onset of rejection. In addition, it may allow monitoring of the immune response to the transplant, enabling clinicians to optimize use of immunosuppressants and balance the immune response between destroying the transplant and protecting the host from life-threatening infection.
[18F]-ML-10 is an investigational agent, not yet approved for use outside clinical trials