Anne Roivainen profile picture
Anne
Roivainen
Professor, Turku PET Centre
Professor, Turku PET Centre
Professor of Preclinical Imaging and Drug Research

Contact

+358 40 824 3510
Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8
20520
Turku

Areas of expertise

Molecular Imaging
PET
Inflammation Imaging

Research

http://inflammation-imaging.utu.fi

Our group is based in Turku PET Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital. Our research focuses on developing radiopharmaceuticals for the PET imaging of various inflammatory diseases.

Inflammation is a significant component of several chronic diseases involving the cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Positron emission tomography (PET) with targeted probes enables evaluation of the molecular and cellular pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases (i.e. molecular imaging). However, more specific markers than the currently used glucose analogue, fluorodeoxyglucose 18F-FDG, are needed to assess inflammation and its consequences in different pathologies. Aims of our studies are pre-clinical evaluation of new targeted probes and techniques for molecular imaging of inflammation. The imaging agents will be evaluated in experimental models of inflammation, in healthy subjects and in patients. The main hypothesis is that sensitive whole-body imaging of inflammation will enable early diagnosis, help in patient selection to particular therapy and monitor therapy outcome. Noteworthy, the development of new radiopharmaceuticals requires several years’ effort and expensive proof-of-concept and acute toxicity studies. Our research is focusing on PET tracers and to lesser extent magnetic resonance (MR) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging agents.


Publications

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FDG-PET/CT(A) imaging in large vessel vasculitis and polymyalgia rheumatica: joint procedural recommendation of the EANM, SNMMI, and the PET Interest Group (PIG), and endorsed by the ASNC (2018)

European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Slart RHJA; Writing group; Reviewer group; Members of EANM Cardiovascular; Members of EANM Infection & Inflammation; Members of Committees, SNMMI Cardiovascular; Members of Council, PET Interest Group; Members of ASNC; EANM Committee Coordinator
(Vertaisarvioitu katsausartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A2))

Aluminum fluoride-18 labeled folate enables in vivo detection of atherosclerotic plaque inflammation by positron emission tomography (2018)

Scientific Reports
Johanna M. U. Silvola, Xiang-Guo Li, Jenni Virta, Päivi Marjamäki, Heidi Liljenbäck, Jarkko P. Hytönen, Miikka Tarkia, Virva Saunavaara, Saija Hurme, Senthil Palani, Harri Hakovirta, Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, Pekka Saukko, Qingshou Chen, Philip S. Low, Juhani Knuuti, Antti Saraste, Anne Roivainen
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))