Current status and new advancements in molecular imaging of liver cancer

Abstract

Early-stage diagnosis of liver cancer is challenging, with an overall poor prognosis. The tumor microenvironment of primary liver cancer is complex, exhibiting significant heterogeneity both interpersonally and intratumorally. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to dynamically analyze biological markers in the tumor microenvironment of primary liver cancer in vivo. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the imaging diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer with the development of molecular imaging. Molecular imaging techniques utilize specific nano-imaging probes to evaluate pathological changes of liver cancer at the molecular and cellular levels in real-time. These techniques enable precise imaging to reveal key molecular biomarkers involved in the occurrence and progression of liver cancer, exploring their associations with cancer progression and outcomes. This article focuses on molecular imaging, emphasizing the current research status and latest advancements in the field of liver cancer diagnosis and therapy using techniques such as CT, MRI, optical imaging, PET imaging, and multimodal imaging. It also identifies important future directions and significant challenges for further development.