title: Molecular imaging with optics: primer and case for near-infrared fluorescence techniques in personalized medicine.
abstract: We compare and contrast the development of optical molecular imaging techniques with nuclear medicine with a didactic emphasis for initiating readers into the field of molecular imaging. The nuclear imaging techniques of gamma scintigraphy, single-photon emission computed tomography, and positron emission tomography are first briefly reviewed. The molecular optical imaging techniques of bioluminescence and fluorescence using gene reporter/probes and gene reporters are described prior to introducing the governing factors of autofluorescence and excitation light leakage. The use of dual-labeled, near-infrared excitable and radio-labeled agents are described with comparative measurements between planar fluorescence and nuclear molecular imaging. The concept of time-independent and -dependent measurements is described with emphasis on integrating time-dependent measurements made in the frequency domain for 3-D tomography. Finally, we comment on the challenges and progress for translating near-infrared (NIR) molecular imaging agents for personalized medicine.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Division of Molecular Imaging, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. evas@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sevick-Muraca
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques / Q000639:trends*; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000639:trends*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000639:trends*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000639:trends*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000639:trends*