Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2015 | Editorial
Imaging technologies from bench to bedside
Authors:
Ravinder Reddy, Mohammad Haris
Published in:
Journal of Translational Medicine
|
Issue 1/2015
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Excerpt
The last few decades have seen tremendous advances in medicine that have enhanced understanding of pathophysiological processes at the cellular and molecular level, and led to the development of increasingly sophisticated diagnostic imaging technologies. Early detection of disease induced molecular and functional changes before induction of irreversible structural changes is key for optimal treatment efficacy. Non-invasive imaging modalities, such as positron emission tomography (PET) [
1], single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) [
2], computed tomography (CT) [
3], optical tomographic technologies [
4], magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [
5], ultrasound (US) [
6], and X-rays play a vital role in both the diagnosis and monitoring of disease in response to therapy. These techniques cover a broad range of spatio-temporal resolution and varying degrees of sensitivity and specificity to different molecular changes, and in many cases provide complementary information [
7,
8]. Recently discovered molecular targets of various disease states, including oncology, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal pathologies, drive further developments in the imaging field to detect these new molecular markers. Ultimately, these technologies contribute to improved disease management and personalized patient care. …
