title: Bimodal imaging probes for combined PET and OI: recent developments and future directions for hybrid agent development.
abstract: Molecular imaging--and especially positron emission tomography (PET)--has gained increasing importance for diagnosis of various diseases and thus experiences an increasing dissemination. Therefore, there is also a growing demand for highly affine PET tracers specifically accumulating and visualizing target structures in the human body. Beyond the development of agents suitable for PET alone, recent tendencies aim at the synthesis of bimodal imaging probes applicable in PET as well as optical imaging (OI), as this combination of modalities can provide clinical advantages. PET, due to the high tissue penetration of the γ-radiation emitted by PET nuclides, allows a quantitative imaging able to identify and visualize tumors and metastases in the whole body. OI on the contrary visualizes photons exhibiting only a limited tissue penetration but enables the identification of tumor margins and infected lymph nodes during surgery without bearing a radiation burden for the surgeon. Thus, there is an emerging interest in bimodal agents for PET and OI in order to exploit the potential of both imaging techniques for the imaging and treatment of tumor diseases. This short review summarizes the available hybrid probes developed for dual PET and OI and discusses future directions for hybrid agent development.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Chemistry, Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany ; Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seibold
authors.affiliation: Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wängler
authors.affiliation: McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 2B4.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schirrmacher
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Chemistry, Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wängler
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011849:Radioactive Tracers
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011849:Radioactive Tracers