Open AccessMolecular imaging: challenges of bringing imaging of intracellular targets into common clinical use
Author(s) -
Skotland Tore
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
contrast media & molecular imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.714
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1555-4317
pISSN - 1555-4309
DOI - 10.1002/cmmi.458
Subject(s) - magnetic resonance imaging , molecular imaging , positron emission tomography , medicine , preclinical imaging , magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging , emission computed tomography , fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy , nuclear magnetic resonance , radiology , nuclear medicine , fluorescence , in vivo , physics , optics , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Molecular imaging (MI) takes advantage of several new techniques to detect biomarkers or biochemical and cellular processes, with the goal of obtaining high sensitivity, specificity and signal‐to‐noise ratio imaging of disease. The imaging modalities bearing the most promise for MI are positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) and different optical imaging techniques with high sensitivity. Also magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast agents like ultra‐small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIO), magnetic resonance spectroscopy and ultrasound imaging with contrast agents may be useful approaches. MI techniques have been used in the clinic for many years, i.e. PET imaging using 18 F‐labeled fluorodeoxyglucose. Animal studies have during the last years revealed great potential for MI also with several other agents. The focus of the present article is the challenges of clinical imaging of intracellular targets following intravenous injection of the agents. Thus, the great challenge of getting enough contrast agent into the cytosol and at the same time obtaining a low signal from tissue just outside the diseased area is discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.