Molecular imaging: Bridging the gap between neuroradiology and neurohistology S. Heckl1, R. Pipkorn2, T. Nägele1, U. Vogel3, W. Küker1 and K. Voigt1 1Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Medical School, Germany, 2Central Section of Peptide Synthesis, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg, Germany and 3Department of Pathology, University of Tübingen, Medical School, Germany Offprint requests to: Stefan Heckl, MD, Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Medical School, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Fax: 07071-29-5638. e-mail: stefan.heckl@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Summary. Historically,
in vivo imaging methods have largely relied on imaging gross
anatomy. More recently it has become possible to depict biological
processes at the cellular and molecular level. These new research
methods use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission
tomography (PET), near-infrared optical imaging, scintigraphy,
and autoradiography in vivo and in vitro. Of primary interest
is the development of methods using MRI and PET with which the
progress of gene therapy in glioblastoma (herpes simplex virusthymidine
kinase) and Parkinson's disease can be monitored and graphically
displayed. Key words: Molecular
imaging, Magnetic resonance imaging, Gadolinium, Positron emission
tomography, Near-infrared optical imaging |