What Is Considered Molecular Imaging?
• Nuclear medicine: PET, PET/CT, SPECT/CT, PET/MR and specific cell tracking • Magnetic resonance imaging: MR spectroscopy, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE/MRI), specific cell tracking, MRI with targeted contrast agents (iron oxides—MION/SPIO/USPIO) nanoparticles and molecularly specific contrast agents • Ultrasound: targeted contrast agents and specific microbubble-based agents • Optical imaging: bioluminescence and imaging with molecularly directed optical agents and stem cell tracking What Are the Benefits of Molecular Imaging and Therapy? Molecular imaging showcases how cells are functioning, as opposed to today’s conventional diagnostic imaging procedures, which offer anatomical pictures of the body’s organs and tissues. It is an invaluable way to gather medical information that would otherwise be unavailable, require surgery or necessitate more expensive diagnostic tests. Molecular imaging will make a sweeping impact on health care—paving the way for new
