Molecular imaging of the alveolar echinococcosis in small animals

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Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a life-threatening disease caused by the larval stage (metacestode) of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis and is limited to the northern hemisphere. The E. multilocularis metacestode has a tumor-like, multivascular structure and is able to infiltrate surrounding tissues especially organs such as the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Pathological changes of the host occur after years or decades after the initial infection, which makes a clear diagnosis of the early infection difficult. However, early diagnosis of AE is crucially needed for efficient management and treatment of the disease. It is still challanging to detect parasites below 10 mm in diameter by non-invasive imaging methods, such as ultra sound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Moreover, E. multilocularis cysts below 10 mm in diameter can also be undetectable in serum samples.Molecular imaging has a great potential in the field of infectious diseases to develop new diagnosis and therapy strategies. Basic biological mechanisms of parasites can be investigated by molecular imaging techniques, including the migration of the parasite in its host. New Biomarkers, such as radiolabeled antibodies or antibody fragments which are specific to E. multilocularis are evaluated for early diagnosis as well for monitoring the infection in an animal model. Small animal PET combined with MRI or optical imaging is used to test the specific biomarkers with new radiolabelling procedures and using different chelators and novel isotopes for the diagnosis of AE.