Non-oncologic fibrotic disease processes affect more than a billion of people globally, and may affect nearly any single organ or various organ systems in the body, with best-known examples including fibrosis of the liver, lungs, heart, musculoskeletal soft tissues, etc. Non-invasive assessment of disease extent and activity remain an area of unmet need, as they determine patient prognosis as well as the needed treatment(s). Noninvasive measurement of fibroblast activity using PET bay targeting the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a promising tool in assessment of disease activity and extent, but it requires further translation and validation. We will discuss how FAP-targeted PET can be used in assessment of chronic liver disease and discuss its potential in other organs.

Presenter Biography:
Dr. Pirasteh is an Assistant Professor of Radiology and Medical Physics, Chief of MRI, and Clinical Director of PET/MRI at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Pirasteh focuses on development of novel PET, MRI, and hybrid PET/MRI methods for non-invasive assessment of disease processes.

Author