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Rheumatology Advance Access published online on June 21, 2005
Rheumatology, doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keh709
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org
Received December 12, 2004
Accepted May 13, 2005

Review

Molecular imaging: novel tools in visualizing rheumatoid arthritis

A. Wunder 1*, R. H. Straub 1, S. Gay 2, J. Funk 1, and U. Müller-Ladner 1

1 Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Regensburg, Germany
2 World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Molecular Biology and Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Rheumatic Diseases, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
A. Wunder, E-mail: andreas.wunder{at}charite.de


  Abstract

Molecular imaging is a rapidly emerging field in biomedical research, aiming at the visualization, characterization and quantification of molecular and cellular processes non-invasively within intact living organisms. To sense biological processes such as gene expression, angiogenesis, apoptosis or cell trafficking in vivo, imaging reporter agents that interact specifically with molecular targets and appropriate imaging systems are currently under development. In rheumatoid arthritis, these novel tools will be used to evaluate physiological and pathophysiological processes, to facilitate diagnosis and monitor therapeutic regimens, to enable reliable prognosis and to support the development of new therapies. In this review, we summarize the basic principles of molecular imaging, such as the development of molecular imaging agents, the actual capabilities of different imaging modalities and the most recent advances in molecular imaging, demonstrating the potential of this technology. With regard to their applicability in rheumatic diseases, we discuss potential molecular targets, current experimental approaches and the future prospects for molecular imaging in rheumatoid arthritis.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance tomography; Nuclear imaging; Optical imaging; Radiography; Ultrasound.
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