RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Multimodality Molecular Imaging with Combined Optical and SPECT/PET Modalities
JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine
JO J Nucl Med
FD Society of Nuclear Medicine
SP 169
OP 172
DO 10.2967/jnumed.107.043331
VO 49
IS 2
A1 Culver, Joseph
A1 Akers, Walter
A1 Achilefu, Samuel
YR 2008
UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/49/2/169.abstract
AB Today's medical imaging technologies are expected to furnish anatomic, physiologic, molecular, and genomic information for accurate disease diagnosis, prediction of treatment response, and development of highly specific and sensitive drugs and imaging agents. However, none of the current imaging methods used in humans provides comprehensive medical imaging. To harness the strengths of different imaging methods, multimodality imaging has become an attractive strategy for in vivo studies. Beyond small-animal imaging, a less frequently used multimodality imaging strategy is the fusion of radionuclear and optical methods. This less frequent use is probably attributable to some misconceptions, technical difficulties, or a lack of appreciation for the benefits of the 2 methods in patient care. This minireview addresses some of these concerns, with emphasis on the potential applications of multimodality optical and SPECT/PET systems.