The prevalence of diabetes is 382 million worldwide, and is expected to rise to 592 million in 2035 (http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas); 2.5-15% of national annual healthcare budgets are related to diabetes care, potentially increasing to 40% in high-prevalence countries. Beta cell dysfunction and death are central events in diabetes pathogenesis, but the natural history of beta cell loss remains unknown. Clinical imaging of beta cells will play a pivotal role in developing strategies for optimized diabetes prevention and treatment.
Keywords: diabetes; imaging; pancreatic beta cells; pancreatic islets.
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