Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
• Nuclear imaging of ers the benei t of high sensitivity, permitting detection
of even very low levels of adhesion molecule expression, but lacks detailed
anatomical information. Nonetheless, its clinical application is already
described.
• Various forms of optical imaging can currently be used to image endothelial
adhesion molecules in experimental models, allowing verii cation of probe
specii city before progression to larger imaging studies.
• Multimodal imaging, using a combination of the above techniques, can be
used to verify the i ndings from one imaging modality, and when applied
sequentially can also be used to examine patterns of adhesion molecule
expression.
• h e ongoing development of this i eld will require multi-disciplinary
collaboration between biologists, chemists, engineers and physicians to
optimize the design of future biodegradable molecular imaging probes and
imaging sequences at clinical i eld strengths.
• Ultimately, attempts to perfect molecular imaging should provide new
insights into the pathophysiological roles played by endothelial adhesion
molecules in disease and allow novel methods for disease detection, and
even treatment, to become apparent.
Abbreviations
ACPLS
Antibody-Conjugated Paramagnetic Liposomes
CT
Computed Tomography
EAE
Experimental Autoimmune Encephalitis
Gd
Gadolinium
ICAM
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule
IVUS
Intra-Vascular Ultrasound
mMRI
Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
SPAQ
Sensitive Particle Acoustic Quantii cation
VCAM
Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule
Key Facts about Molecular Imaging
1. Traditionally, medical imaging techniques have been able to detect only
macroscopic changes suggestive of disease.
2. Molecular imaging is a new i eld that may eventually allow the detection
and monitoring of the biological processes (e.g., endothelial adhesion
molecule expression) that cause disease.
