Molecular imaging with ultrasound: Steps toward clinical translation

Abstract

Molecular imaging provides the ability to non-invasively assess expression levels of molecules by measuring imaging signals generated with the help of molecularly targeted contrast agents. These contrast agents can be directed to bind various molecular targets, thereby visualizing and quantifying disease processes at the molecular level in vivo. In recent years, the field of molecular imaging has been rapidly expanding and involves multiple imaging modalities. Among those, ultrasound imaging is a widely available, relatively inexpensive, and real-time imaging technique without exposing patients to radiation. It is already the first-line radiological imaging modality for many organs and disease processes in patients. By combining the these advantages of ultrasound with the ability to image molecular signatures using novel molecularly targeted ultrasound contrast agents, molecular ultrasound imaging is a quickly evolving imaging strategy that has great potential as a highly accurate and quantitative method ...