Given the potential importance of amyloid imaging for the purpose of prognostication, patient stratification and monitoring response the therapy, we evaluated a panel of heparin-reactive peptides for their ability to specifically bind the hypersulfated heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are a ubiquitous component of all cerebral and visceral amyloid deposits and, thereby, provide a means for imaging the deposits in vivo. The gene discussed is CD44; the disease is amyloidosis.