title: Design considerations for targeted optical contrast agents.
abstract: Optical fluorescence imaging with the right combination of imaging modality and targeted contrast agents offers tremendous improvement in intraoperative imaging and clinical output (i.e., image-guided cancer surgery). Therefore, it is of paramount importance to gain an in-depth knowledge in the design of targeted contrast agents to meet clinical requirements. Currently, there are several clinically approved contrast agents available; however, none perform optimally in vivo by providing optimum sensitivity, stability, specificity, and safety for target imaging, diagnosis, and therapy. In this review, we discuss basic design considerations for targeted contrast agents in terms of optical and physicochemical properties, biological and physiological interactions, and biodistribution and targeting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; ; Center for Molecular Imaging, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Jeong Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gwangli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Gloria H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jungmun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hak Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
keywords: Near-infrared imaging; biodistribution; optical imaging; targeted contrast agent