The Chemistry Of Imaging Probes

Over the past decades, the field of molecular imaging has been rapidly growing involving multiple disciplines such as medicine, biology, chemistry, pharmacology and biomedical engineering. Any molecular imaging procedure requires an imaging probe that is an agent used to visualize, characterize and quantify biological processes in living systems. Such a probe typically consists of an agent that usually produces signal for imaging purpose, a targeting moiety, and a linker connecting the targeting moiety and the signaling agent. Many challenging problems of molecular imaging can be addressed by exploiting the great possibilities offered by modern synthetic organic and coordination chemistry and the powerful procedures provided by conjugation chemistry. Thus, chemistry plays a decisive role in the development of this cutting-edge methodology. Currently, the diagnostic imaging modalities include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound (US), Nuclear Imaging (PET, SPECT), Optical Imaging (OI) and Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI). Each of these imaging modalities has its own advantages and disadvantages, and therefore, a multimodal approach combining two techniques is often adopted to generate complementary anatomical and functional information of the disease. The basis for designing imaging probes for a given application is dictated by the chosen imaging modality, which in turn is dependent upon the concentration and localization profile (vascular, extracellular matrix, cell membrane, intracellular, near or at the cell nucleus) of the target molecule. The development of high-affinity ligands and their conjugation to the targeting vector is also one of the key steps for pursuing efficient molecular imaging probes. Other excellent reviews, text and monographs describe the principles of biomedical imaging, focusing on molecular biology or on the physics behind the techniques. This Research Topic aims to show how chemistry can offer molecular imaging the opportunity to express all its potential.

Over the past decades, the field of molecular imaging has been rapidly growing involving multiple disciplines such as medicine, biology, chemistry, pharmacology and biomedical engineering. Any molecular imaging procedure requires an imaging probe that is an agent used to visualize, characterize and quantify biological processes in living systems. Such a probe typically consists of an agent that usually produces signal for imaging purpose, a targeting moiety, and a linker connecting the targeting moiety and the signaling agent. Many challenging problems of molecular imaging can be addressed by exploiting the great possibilities offered by modern synthetic organic and coordination chemistry and the powerful procedures provided by conjugation chemistry. Thus, chemistry plays a decisive role in the development of this cutting-edge methodology. Currently, the diagnostic imaging modalities include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound (US), Nuclear Imaging (PET, SPECT), Optical Imaging (OI) and Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI). Each of these imaging modalities has its own advantages and disadvantages, and therefore, a multimodal approach combining two techniques is often adopted to generate complementary anatomical and functional information of the disease. The basis for designing imaging probes for a given application is dictated by the chosen imaging modality, which in turn is dependent upon the concentration and localization profile (vascular, extracellular matrix, cell membrane, intracellular, near or at the cell nucleus) of the target molecule. The development of high-affinity ligands and their conjugation to the targeting vector is also one of the key steps for pursuing efficient molecular imaging probes. Other excellent reviews, text and monographs describe the principles of biomedical imaging, focusing on molecular biology or on the physics behind the techniques. This Research Topic aims to show how chemistry can offer molecular imaging the opportunity to express all its potential.

Molecular imaging is primarily about the chemistry of novel biological probes, yet the vast majority of practitioners are not chemists or biochemists. This is the first book, written from a chemist's point of view, to address the nature of the chemical interaction between probe and environment to help elucidate biochemical detail instead of bulk anatomy. Covers all of the fundamentals of modern imaging methodologies, including their techniques and application within medicine and industry Focuses primarily on the chemistry of probes and imaging agents, and chemical methodology for labelling and bioconjugation First book to investigate the chemistry of molecular imaging Aimed at students as well as researchers involved in the area of molecular imaging

Molecular imaging is primarily about the chemistry of novelbiological probes, yet the vast majority of practitioners are notchemists or biochemists. This is the first book, written from achemist's point of view, to address the nature of the chemicalinteraction between probe and environment to help elucidatebiochemical detail instead of bulk anatomy. Covers all of the fundamentals of modern imaging methodologies,including their techniques and application within medicine andindustry Focuses primarily on the chemistry of probes and imagingagents, and chemical methodology for labelling andbioconjugation First book to investigate the chemistry of molecularimaging Aimed at students as well as researchers involved in the areaof molecular imaging

Scientists and engineers have long relied on the power of imaging techniques to help see objects invisible to the naked eye, and thus, to advance scientific knowledge. These experts are constantly pushing the limits of technology in pursuit of chemical imagingâ€"the ability to visualize molecular structures and chemical composition in time and space as actual events unfoldâ€"from the smallest dimension of a biological system to the widest expanse of a distant galaxy. Chemical imaging has a variety of applications for almost every facet of our daily lives, ranging from medical diagnosis and treatment to the study and design of material properties in new products. In addition to highlighting advances in chemical imaging that could have the greatest impact on critical problems in science and technology, Visualizing Chemistry reviews the current state of chemical imaging technology, identifies promising future developments and their applications, and suggests a research and educational agenda to enable breakthrough improvements.

The increased use of fluorescence techniques is greatly enhanced by the improved instrumentation pioneered by inventive scientists and now made available commercially by several high-tech companies. Moreover, the design and development of many new molecular probes with higher selectivity for specific microenvironmental properties has stimulated many new researchers to employ fluorescence techniques for solving their problems. This topic book, the second in his series, reflects this exciting scientific progress and deals, among others, with new approaches and new probes in fluorescence spectroscopy, single molecule fluorescence, applications in biomembrane and enzyme studies and imaging of living cells.

The focus of this new book is for medicinal chemists on the chemical agents that have been used, or might be required in the future, and the methods of synthesis for inserting the reporter groups. Medicinal chemists need to know the critical issues involved in using such chemical agents with regard to the biological applications - for instance - what properties are needed chemically and why? The topics covered in the book are: PET, SPECT, contrast agents, radioimaging/radionuclide conjugates, receptor mapping, small animal imaging (eg. WBAR - whole body autoradiography); photoinduced labelling, as well as chapters on the physical techniques used including: NMR, mass spectrometry and Xray. A key reference for academics, postgraduates, researchers, industrialists and professionals working in or joining this field.

This review volume integrates the advances in cancer biology, molecular imaging techniques and imaging probes for visualization and quantitative measurement of anatomical, functional, and molecular profiles of cancer. The volume also presents a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art technology in molecular imaging probe design and applications in radionuclide (PET and SPECT), magnetic resonance (MR), optical (fluorescence, Raman, photoacoustic), ultrasound, CT, and multimodality imaging. Bringing together the fundamentals of molecular imaging, and the basic principles of each molecular imaging modality in this volume, readers' understanding in this field is further enhanced. With a strong emphasis on the chemistry of the design of appropriate molecular imaging probes for early cancer detection, therapy-response monitoring, and anti-cancer drug development, the process of translating novel cancer imaging probes from bench to bedside is extensively discussed.