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Molecular Imaging
Traditionally, when visualizing cells involved in a disease process, we've relied upon biopsied tissue to provide the cells being studied. This method has been sufficient for the most part, but there are several advantages to be gained by observing living cells in their natural environment. To this end, molecular imaging (MI) is superior to lab tests or biopsies as a diagnostic tool.
Firstly, MI allows us to see live cells, going about their business. MI allows us to see how healthy cells function as part of a larger organism rather than part of a culture in a Petri dish. Because MI doesn't require killing the cell or biopsying it, it's possible to observe the progression of the disease process within the cell rather than study the aftermath of end-stage disease and extrapolate from dead cells. All in all, this helps us identify disease earlier than previously possible and gives insights on how to treat specific diseases.
The molecular imaging procedures which fall most neatly under the umbrella of nuclear medicine are single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). To the layman, these procedures are quite similar. Both utilize radioactive solutions introduced into the patient known as "biomarkers." As the radioactive molecules decay, they emit ions detected by a device called a Gamma Camera and provide a 3D picture of how the body is functioning, rather than just its anatomy. These scans can be used to study several different processes within the body. Examples include: tracking brain function by charting how much blood goes to different areas of the brain at a given time, and observing how much blood is moving through the heart to track cardiac function. Ions can also be inhaled in their gaseous form to measure pulmonary function, though this is not as accurate.
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