title: How to detect a dwarf: in vivo imaging of nanoparticles in the lung.
abstract: Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing field in science and industry. The exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) will steadily grow in the future and there is thus an urgent need to study potential impacts of the interaction between NPs and the human body. The respiratory tract is the route of entry for all accidentally inhaled NPs. Moreover, NPs may intentionally be delivered into the lung as contrast agents and drug delivery systems. The present review provides an overview of currently used techniques for the in vivo imaging of NPs in the lung, including x-ray imaging, computed tomography, gamma camera imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, near-infrared imaging, and intravital fluorescence microscopy. Studies based on these techniques may contribute to the development of novel NP-based drug delivery systems and contrast agents. In addition, they may provide completely new insights into nanotoxicological processes.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nanoparticles are rapidly gaining ground in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This review provides an overview of current in vivo imaging techniques of NPs in the lung, including x-ray, CT, gamma camera imaging, PET, MRI, near-infrared imaging, and intravital fluorescence microscopy, aiding the development of novel NP-based techniques and nanotoxicology.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical & Experimental Surgery, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany. jonas.roller@uniklinik-saarland.de
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roller
authors.forename: Matthias W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Laschke
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tschernig
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schramm
authors.forename: Nils T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Veith
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thorlacius
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Menger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods