The authors define molecular imaging, according to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, as the visualization, characterization, and measurement of biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels in humans and other living systems. Although practiced for many years clinically in nuclear medicine, expansion to other imaging modalities began roughly 25 years ago and has accelerated since. That acceleration derives from the continual appearance of new and highly relevant animal models of human disease, increasingly sensitive imaging devices, high-throughput methods to discover and optimize affinity agents to key cellular targets, new ways to manipulate genetic material, and expanded use of cloud computing. Greater interest by scientists in allied fields, such as chemistry, biomedical engineering, and immunology, as well as increased attention by the pharmaceutical industry, have likewise contributed to the boom in activity in recent years. Whereas researchers and clinicians have applied molecular imaging to a variety of physiologic processes and disease states, here, the authors focus on oncology, arguably where it has made its greatest impact. The main purpose of imaging in oncology is early detection to enable interception if not prevention of full-blown disease, such as the appearance of metastases. Because biochemical changes occur before changes in anatomy, molecular imaging—particularly when combined with liquid biopsy for screening purposes—promises especially early localization of disease for optimum management. Here, the authors introduce the ways and indications in which molecular imaging can be undertaken, the tools used and under development, and near-term challenges and opportunities in oncology.

中文翻译：

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肿瘤学中的分子成像：当前影响和未来方向

根据核医学和分子成像学会的说法，作者将分子成像定义为在人类和其他生命系统的分子和细胞水平上对生物过程的可视化、表征和测量。尽管在核医学临床实践了多年，但向其他成像方式的扩展大约在 25 年前开始，并且此后加速。这种加速源于新的和高度相关的人类疾病动物模型的不断出现、越来越敏感的成像设备、发现和优化关键细胞靶标的亲和剂的高通量方法、操纵遗传物质的新方法以及云的扩展使用计算。科学家对化学、生物医学工程和免疫学等相关领域的科学家产生了更大的兴趣，以及越来越受到制药行业的关注，同样促成了近年来活动的繁荣。尽管研究人员和临床医生已将分子成像应用于各种生理过程和疾病状态，但在这里，作者专注于肿瘤学，可以说是它产生了最大影响的地方。肿瘤学成像的主要目的是早期发现，即使不能预防全面疾病，例如转移的出现，也能进行拦截。由于生化变化发生在解剖结构变化之前，因此分子成像——特别是与液体活检相结合进行筛查时——尤其有望早期定位疾病以实现最佳管理。在这里，作者介绍了可以进行分子成像的方法和适应症，使用的和正在开发的工具，