Neuroimaging in HIV: Novel Imaging Technologies for Detection of Persistent HIV and Associated Inflammation/Pathology in the Brain

Sponsor(s): NIMH Division of AIDS Research

The NIMH Division of AIDS Research hosted a workshop to discuss the novel imaging technologies that can be used to detect persistent HIV in the central nervous system (CNS) as well as understand the pathways and mechanisms leading to CNS dysfunction in the antiretroviral therapy era.

This workshop brought together over 100 clinicians, researchers and scientists pursuing HIV cure and HIV associated CNS co-morbidity research to discuss the novel imaging technologies that can be used to detect persistent HIV in the CNS and to understand the pathways and mechanisms leading to CNS dysfunction in the antiretroviral therapy era. Dr. Beau Ances, an expert in NeuroHIV from Washington University in Saint Louis chaired this meeting. Presenters and attendees discussed several imaging techniques, both at the macro level (e.g., fMRI, MRS, PET, DTI, etc.) and at the micro level (e.g., bioluminescence, super-resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, in-situ vRNA) involved in detection of HIV and diagnosis of HIV associated CNS dysfunction. The panel discussion sessions delved into key research gaps and potential avenues that would help move the field forward.