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RMD Open Feb 2024It is known that metabolic shifts and tissue remodelling precede the development of visible inflammation and structural organ damage in inflammatory rheumatic diseases... (Review)
Review
It is known that metabolic shifts and tissue remodelling precede the development of visible inflammation and structural organ damage in inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as the inflammatory arthritides. As such, visualising and measuring metabolic tissue activity could be useful to identify biomarkers of disease activity already in a very early phase. Recent advances in imaging have led to the development of so-called 'metabolic imaging' tools that can detect these changes in metabolism in an increasingly accurate manner and non-invasively.Nuclear imaging techniques such as F-D-glucose and fibroblast activation protein inhibitor-labelled positron emission tomography are increasingly used and have yielded impressing results in the visualisation (including whole-body staging) of inflammatory changes in both early and established arthritis. Furthermore, optical imaging-based bedside techniques such as multispectral optoacoustic tomography and fluorescence optical imaging are advancing our understanding of arthritis by identifying intra-articular metabolic changes that correlate with the onset of inflammation with high precision and without the need of ionising radiation.Metabolic imaging holds great potential for improving the management of patients with inflammatory arthritis by contributing to early disease interception and improving diagnostic accuracy, thereby paving the way for a more personalised approach to therapy strategies including preventive strategies. In this narrative review, we discuss state-of-the-art metabolic imaging methods used in the assessment of arthritis and inflammation, and we advocate for more extensive research endeavours to elucidate their full field of application in rheumatology.
Topics: Humans; Arthritis; Inflammation; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Positron-Emission Tomography; Molecular Imaging
PubMed: 38341194
DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003880 -
Biomedical Optics Express Jan 2024The application of molecular and cellular imaging in ophthalmology has numerous benefits. It can enable the early detection and diagnosis of ocular diseases,... (Review)
Review
The application of molecular and cellular imaging in ophthalmology has numerous benefits. It can enable the early detection and diagnosis of ocular diseases, facilitating timely intervention and improved patient outcomes. Molecular imaging techniques can help identify disease biomarkers, monitor disease progression, and evaluate treatment responses. Furthermore, these techniques allow researchers to gain insights into the pathogenesis of ocular diseases and develop novel therapeutic strategies. Molecular and cellular imaging can also allow basic research to elucidate the normal physiological processes occurring within the eye, such as cell signaling, tissue remodeling, and immune responses. By providing detailed visualization at the molecular and cellular level, these imaging techniques contribute to a comprehensive understanding of ocular biology. Current clinically available imaging often relies on confocal microscopy, multi-photon microscopy, PET (positron emission tomography) or SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) techniques, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescence imaging. Preclinical research focuses on the identification of novel molecular targets for various diseases. The aim is to discover specific biomarkers or molecular pathways associated with diseases, allowing for targeted imaging and precise disease characterization. In parallel, efforts are being made to develop sophisticated and multifunctional contrast agents that can selectively bind to these identified molecular targets. These contrast agents can enhance the imaging signal and improve the sensitivity and specificity of molecular imaging by carrying various imaging labels, including radionuclides for PET or SPECT, fluorescent dyes for optical imaging, or nanoparticles for multimodal imaging. Furthermore, advancements in technology and instrumentation are being pursued to enable multimodality molecular imaging. Integrating different imaging modalities, such as PET/MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or PET/CT (computed tomography), allows for the complementary strengths of each modality to be combined, providing comprehensive molecular and anatomical information in a single examination. Recently, photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) has been explored as a novel imaging technology for visualization of different retinal diseases. PAM is a non-invasive, non-ionizing radiation, and hybrid imaging modality that combines the optical excitation of contrast agents with ultrasound detection. It offers a unique approach to imaging by providing both anatomical and functional information. Its ability to utilize molecularly targeted contrast agents holds great promise for molecular imaging applications in ophthalmology. In this review, we will summarize the application of multimodality molecular imaging for tracking chorioretinal angiogenesis along with the migration of stem cells after subretinal transplantation .
PubMed: 38223186
DOI: 10.1364/BOE.502350 -
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis Sep 2023
PubMed: 37842662
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.08.007 -
Journal of Nuclear Cardiology :... Dec 2023
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular System; Molecular Imaging; Heart; Mediastinum
PubMed: 33655449
DOI: 10.1007/s12350-021-02534-9 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common cancer worldwide and, despite the advancements made toward early diagnosis and novel treatments, there is an urgent need to reduce... (Review)
Review
Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common cancer worldwide and, despite the advancements made toward early diagnosis and novel treatments, there is an urgent need to reduce its mortality. The Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor (GRPR) is a promising target for the development of theranostic radioligands for luminal BC with positive estrogen receptor (ER) expression, because GRPR is expressed not only in primary lesions but also in lymph nodes and distant metastasis. In the last decades, several GRPR-targeting molecules have been evaluated both at preclinical and clinical level, however, most of the studies have been focused on prostate cancer (PC). Nonetheless, given the relevance of non-invasive diagnosis and potential treatment of BC through Peptide Receptor Radioligand Therapy (PRRT), this review aims at collecting the available preclinical and clinical data on GRPR-targeting radiopeptides for the imaging and therapy of BC, to better understand the current state-of-the-art and identify future perspectives and possible limitations to their clinical translation. In fact, since luminal-like tumors account for approximately 80% of all BC, many BC patients are likely to benefit from the development of GRPR-radiotheranostics.
PubMed: 38020178
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1250799 -
European Urology Dec 2023In metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), disease volume plays an integral role in guiding treatment recommendations, including selection of docetaxel...
Clinical and Genomic Differences Between Advanced Molecular Imaging-detected and Conventional Imaging-detected Metachronous Oligometastatic Castration-sensitive Prostate Cancer.
In metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), disease volume plays an integral role in guiding treatment recommendations, including selection of docetaxel therapy, metastasis-directed therapy, and radiation to the prostate. Although there are multiple definitions of disease volume, they have commonly been studied in the context of metastases detected via conventional imaging (CIM). One such numeric definition of disease volume, termed oligometastasis, is heavily dependent on the sensitivity of the imaging modality. We performed an international multi-institutional retrospective review of men with metachronous oligometastatic CSPC (omCSPC), detected via either advanced molecular imaging alone (AMIM) or CIM. Patients were compared with respect to clinical and genomic features using the Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson's χ test, and Kaplan-Meier overall survival (OS) analyses with a log-rank test. A total of 295 patients were included for analysis. Patients with CIM-omCSPC had significantly higher Gleason grade group (p = 0.032), higher prostate-specific antigen at omCSPC diagnosis (8.0 vs 1.7 ng/ml; p < 0.001), more frequent pathogenic TP53 mutations (28% vs 17%; p = 0.030), and worse 10-yr OS (85% vs 100%; p < 0.001). This is the first report of clinical and biological differences between AMIM-detected and CIM-detected omCSPC. Our findings are particularly important for ongoing and planned clinical trials in omCSPC. PATIENT SUMMARY: Metastatic prostate cancer with just a few metastases only detected via newer scanning methods (called molecular imaging) is associated with fewer high-risk DNA mutations and better survival in comparison to metastatic cancer detected via conventional scan methods.
Topics: Male; Humans; Prostatic Neoplasms; Docetaxel; Molecular Imaging; Genomics; Castration
PubMed: 37173210
DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2023.04.025 -
Current Opinion in Chemical Biology Jun 2024Monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments have proven to be highly effective vectors for the delivery of radionuclides to target tissues for positron emission... (Review)
Review
Monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments have proven to be highly effective vectors for the delivery of radionuclides to target tissues for positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). However, the stochastic methods that have traditionally been used to attach radioisotopes to these biomolecules inevitably produce poorly defined and heterogeneous probes and can impair the ability of the immunoglobulins to bind their molecular targets. In response to this challenge, an array of innovative site-specific and site-selective bioconjugation strategies have been developed, and these approaches have repeatedly been shown to yield better-defined and more homogeneous radioimmunoconjugates with superior in vivo performance than their randomly modified progenitors. In this Current Opinion in Chemical Biology review, we will examine recent advances in this field, including the development - and, in some cases, clinical translation - of nuclear imaging agents radiolabeled using strategies that target the heavy chain glycans, peptide tags, and unnatural amino acids.
PubMed: 38833913
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.102471 -
Cancers Jan 2024Thyroid nodules are common findings, particularly in iodine-deficient regions. Our paper aims to revise different diagnostic tools available in clinical thyroidology and... (Review)
Review
Thyroid nodules are common findings, particularly in iodine-deficient regions. Our paper aims to revise different diagnostic tools available in clinical thyroidology and propose their rational integration. We will elaborate on the pros and cons of thyroid ultrasound (US) and its scoring systems, thyroid scintigraphy, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), molecular imaging, and artificial intelligence (AI). Ultrasonographic scoring systems can help differentiate between benign and malignant nodules. Depending on the constellation or number of suspicious ultrasound features, a FNAC is recommended. However, hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules are presumed to exclude malignancy with a very high negative predictive value (NPV). Particularly in regions where iodine supply is low, most hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules are seen in patients with normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Thyroid scintigraphy is essential for the detection of these nodules. Among non-toxic thyroid nodules, a careful application of US risk stratification systems is pivotal to exclude inappropriate FNAC and guide the procedure on suspicious ones. However, almost one-third of cytology examinations are rendered as indeterminate, requiring "diagnostic surgery" to provide a definitive diagnosis. Tc-methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile ([Tc]Tc-MIBI) and [F]fluoro-deoxy-glucose ([F]FDG) molecular imaging can spare those patients from unnecessary surgeries. The clinical value of AI in the evaluation of thyroid nodules needs to be determined.
PubMed: 38254799
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020311 -
Zeitschrift Fur Medizinische Physik Dec 2023Over the last two decades, hyperpolarized C MRI has gained significance in both preclinical and clinical studies, hereby relying on technologies like PHIP-SAH... (Review)
Review
Over the last two decades, hyperpolarized C MRI has gained significance in both preclinical and clinical studies, hereby relying on technologies like PHIP-SAH (ParaHydrogen-Induced Polarization-Side Arm Hydrogenation), SABRE (Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange), and dDNP (dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization), with dDNP being applied in humans. A clinical dDNP polarizer has enabled studies across 24 sites, despite challenges like high cost and slow polarization. Parahydrogen-based techniques like SABRE and PHIP offer faster, more cost-efficient alternatives but require molecule-specific optimization. The focus has been on imaging metabolism of hyperpolarized probes, which requires long T, high polarization and rapid contrast generation. Efforts to establish novel probes, improve acquisition techniques and enhance data analysis methods including artificial intelligence are ongoing. Potential clinical value of hyperpolarized C MRI was demonstrated primarily for treatment response assessment in oncology, but also in cardiology, nephrology, hepatology and CNS characterization. In this review on biomedical hyperpolarized C MRI, we summarize important and recent advances in polarization techniques, probe development, acquisition and analysis methods as well as clinical trials. Starting from those we try to sketch a trajectory where the field of biomedical hyperpolarized C MRI might go.
PubMed: 38160135
DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2023.10.004