Biomedical applications of molecular imaging

Tony Lahoutte

UMons

Nov-Dec 2011

Course 1

Part 1: Introduction and general principles

Biomedical Imaging

RöntgenHand of Anna Berthe

1895

Biomedical Imaging

Röntgen22 dec 1895

Hand of Anna Berthe23 January 1896

Hand of Albert von Kölliker

Biomedical Imaging

Weissleder and Pittet, Nature 2009

Biomedical Imaging

1. Microscopy: In vitro samples or in vivo tissues

2. Preclinical Imaging:

In vivo imaging in animal models

3. Clinical Imaging: Imaging in patients

Biomedical Imaging

CT – X-ray

SPECT & PET

MRI

www.mi-central.org

BioluminescenceFluorescence

FRET/FRAPImageStream

Biomedical Imaging

Anatomical imaging: Organ and tissue morphology

Physiologic Imaging: Organ and tissue function

Molecular Imaging: Molecules and cells

Molecular

Anatomy

Physiology

Cell

Molecular Imaging

Definition:Molecular imaging is the visualization, the

characterization and the measurement of biological processes at the molecular and

cellular levels in living systems

Anatomical

Molecular

Hybrid Imaging

Anatomical

CT scan

of a women

Molecular

Glucose

molecules

PET-CT scan

Computed Tomography

or CT scanAnatomical

Positron Emission Tomography or PET scan

Molecular

Anatomical + Molecular

PET/CT

fusion

image

Anatomical

Molecular

Radiolabeled antibody fragments that recognize cancer cells

SPECT-CT

Anatomical + Molecular

SPECT/CT

fusion

image

Anatomical

MRI scan

Anatomical + Molecular

PET/MRI scanner

Courtesy of University of Tübingen

FMT/MRI

J. Chen, JCI, 2009: “Combined magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging of the living mouse brain reveals glioma response to chemotherapy”

Fluorescence Molecular Tomography/ Magnetic Resonance Imaging=

FMT/MRI

MRI FMT

FMT/CT

FMT/CT fusion

Nature 2008;452:580-589

FMT scanner

VisenImaging Near Infrared Fluorescence

Anatomical + Molecular

PET/CT

SPECT/CT

PET/MRI

FMT/MRI

FMT/CT

=

Hybrid imaging

Physiological Imaging

= Functional Imaging

- visualizing cardiac contraction- Imaging blood perfusion- ...

Planar and Tomographic Imaging

Planar = 2D projection

Tomographic = 3D volume

Planar and Tomographic Imaging

Gamma Camera

Planar and Tomographic Imaging

Planar = 2D projection

Anterior and posterior view of a planar bone scintigraphy

Planar and Tomographic Imaging

Tomographic = 3D volume

Static and Dynamic Imaging

Static image= 1 time interval

Dynamic image = multiple time intervals

Static and Dynamic Imaging

Static image = 1 time interval

Static image of a radiolabeled antibody between 1-10 s after intravenous injection in a rat

Static and Dynamic Imaging

Dynamic image = multiple time intervals

Dynamic image of a radiolabeled antibody between 1second and 10 min after intravenous injection in a rat. Every frame is 10 seconds

Special case of dynamic: Gated Image

Gated image = images are synchronized with cardiac contraction or respiration

Special case of dynamic: Gated Image

Gated image = images are synchronized with cardiac contraction or respiration

Static and Dynamic Imaging

Different combinations are possible:

Static planar imageDynamic planar imageStatic tomographic imageDynamic tomographic image

Slicing and orientation

Slicing and orientation

Transverse

Sagittal

Coronal

R

R

A

A

L

L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

Slicing and orientation

Orientation: we look from the feet to the head

R L

End of part 1