Todd Sasser Preclinical imaging : improving translational power in oncology

Initially using clinical-scale instrumentation, imaging provided a non-invasive means of assaying biological structure and function in vivo. The development of dedicated small animal imaging systems followed and, more recently, techniques in molecular imaging have been established to allow imaging modalities to be combined into multi-modal methods. Among these, the combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) is a successful imaging strategy and has become an important tool in clinical practice. Technological approaches that combine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical modalities and PET have now been introduced. PET/MRI and the resulting combination of molecular, morphological and functional information will pave the way for a better understanding of physiological and disease mechanisms in the preclinical setting (Figure 1). A convincing model Small animal imaging provides quantitative, spatially and temporally-indexed information on normal and diseased tissues such as tumours. Importantly, because of the non-invasive nature of the technique, imaging allows longitudinal (serial) study of animal models of human cancer. This allows monitoring of disease progression from inception to progression, as well as of treatment options over a period of time. Each animal acts as its own control, reducing biovariability. Not only does this minimise the number of experimental animals required, it also gives results in real time. Moreover, in contrast to cell or tissue culture-based experiments, studies in intact animals incorporate the interacting physiological factors present in a complex living system. Looking forward, as drug development continues on the path towards personalised medicines, such By Dr Todd Sasser Preclinical imaging: improving translational power in oncology