Synchrotron Radiation Applications in Cardiovascular Research

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major global health challenge, necessitating advanced research tools to unravel its complex mechanisms. Synchrotron radiation (SR) facilities have emerged as powerful biomedical research tools with distinct features, including high intensity, tunable energy, and collimation, offering unique capabilities for studying CVD. Until July 2023, a systematic PubMed search employing the query "Cardiovascular[Title/Abstract] AND Synchrotron[Title/Abstract]" yielded a total of 47 results. Among these findings, five pertain to review articles published in the years 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2020. This review explores the diverse applications of current SR-based techniques in cardiovascular research, highlighting their potential.

SR imaging has established itself as a robust and influential methodology characterized by significant milestones delineating its evolutionary trajectory. Pioneering efforts in 1968, as Japanese researchers produced the world's first two-dimensional system for emergency medicine and cardiovascular imaging using SR, set the stage for subsequent advancements.¹ This technological prowess continued to evolve. Until today, the SR can be integrated with other imaging modalities such as small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS),² phase contrast computed tomography (CT),³  X-ray tomography,^4,5 and micro FTIR spectroscopy.⁶ Here are some key findings and applications of SR imaging in CVD research nowadays, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 SR imaging proves instrumental in elucidating intricate aspects of cardiac physiology and pathology, enabling comprehensive investigations in CVD.

SR imaging has proven valuable in advancing the understanding of cardiovascular function. Its high-resolution capabilities and ability to visualize micro-level and nano-level structures provide researchers with detailed insights into cardiac anatomy, microstructure, function, and pathologies. Overall, SR-based techniques offer a novel and powerful approach to studying cardiovascular diseases, providing invaluable insights into their etiology, progression, and potential therapeutic interventions. This review aims to inspire further research and collaboration in this exciting and rapidly evolving field.