January 28, 2009 - FluoroPharma Inc., a molecular imaging company engaged in the discovery and development of proprietary products for the PET market, said it has received a U.S. Patent covering methods of imaging cardiovascular plaque formation using F18 labeled 2-fluorodeoxy-D-glucose (FDG).
This patent, exclusively licensed from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), provides FluoroPharma with additional patent claims that cover imaging of atherosclerotic plaque inflammation and rupture.
"Molecular imaging of the inflammatory status of vulnerable atherosclerotic lesions is of paramount importance for the identification of patients at risk for a future heart attack or stroke," said Tom Brady, M.D., director of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging division at MGH. "In-vivo noninvasive clinical studies to measure carotid plaque inflammation show that 18F -FDG PET imaging can identify a subset of patients with carotid atherosclerosis that may benefit from intensified medical therapy or carotid artery intervention to prevent stroke."
For more information: www.fluoropharma.com