The development of TGFβR1 PET tracers for in vivo imaging

This thesis focusses on the diagnosis of Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The disease is still difficult to diagnose as early symptoms related to PAH are vague and non-specific [1]. Right heart catheterization is the gold standard to diagnose PAH, but this technique is very invasive. Doppler echocardiography can be used to diagnose PAH in symptomatic patients, but in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients its value has been questioned. Consequently, PAH is normally diagnosed when this pulmonary vascular disease is already advanced. Clearly, alternative non-invasive diagnostic tools for early detection of PAH are needed, which potentially may lead to a reduction in mortality rate. To date, there are no non-invasive molecular imaging methods to confirm the diagnosis of PAH. Multiple in vivo studies have revealed the importance of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathway in PAH. Consequently, imaging of ALK5 may provide opportunities to study the role of ALK5 in PAH, thereby providing better insight into the pathology and progression of this diseas