Molecular Imaging Guided Diagnosis and Treatment in Oncology

The goal of molecular imaging guided therapy is to combine molecular imaging hybrid-systems with targeted diagnostic and therapeutic tracers or probes able to identify the diseased tissue or target so, to minimise off-target effects while guiding the interventional procedure and monitoring dose and therapy response in real-time. The fast advancements in medical imaging engineering and probe/drug design, parallel to our deeper understandings in the genomics of cancer, have been the key enablers that transformed molecular imaging guided therapy from a niche concept into a fast-growing precision medicine tool. This translated into hybrid imaging systems of higher sensitivity and spatial resolution equipped with hardware and software powered by advanced deep learning models able to quantitatively analyse molecular imaging biomarkers in real time. The identification of new molecular and biological tumour targets combined with advanced dosimetry and real-time precision imaging technologies allowed the transition from imaging to personalized theranostics significantly enhancing our ability for safer and more efficacious treatment of tumours.

Molecular imaging guided therapy has revolutionised the concept of treating cancer allowing minimally invasive personalised treatment. Targeted radionuclide therapy has gained remarkable ground thanks to the emergence of new theranostic agents from the traditional beta to the alpha and auger-emitters that are characterized by highly, potent and short-range cytotoxicity making them more effective and promising in treating micro-metastatic or resistant tumours. Application of targeted-radiotracers (e.g., peptides- or antibody-labelled) allows real-time imaging while delivering tailored therapy. Near-infrared fluorescent agents enabled more precise delineation of regions for more effective and safer surgical tumour removal. Furthermore, minimally invasive treatment using sounds-waves or heat destruction (e.g., high-focused-ultrasound) has been investigated for their ability to destroy cancer cells or activate the immune system, and these, are only few examples of molecular imaging guided therapy. The requirement of multidisciplinary teams and strict regulatory approval, make this type of approach not always widely available. Further efforts on imaging biomarkers standardization, especially with the integration of AI, are required to facilitate faster and reproducible data interpretation and wider clinical translation of personalized radioligand treatment schemes across institutions. Finally, the environmental impact associated with hybrid-systems ‘energy consumption, and waste-water pollution caused by the use of contrast agents/tracer, require novel and bold strategies - from manufacturing, transportation, application and disposal - to mitigate their negative effects and enable a more responsible and sustainable practice.

This research topic seeks contributions in the field of molecular imaging guided therapy in oncology, as follow:

1) Enhancing our understanding by sharing the latest advancement in both, field of medical imaging engineering and dosimetry, including software, hardware and AI and, of radiochemistry/molecular probes design identifying opportunities and challenges in their safe and efficacious applications and broader translation in the clinical setting.

2) Applied studies in the field of oncology and how its application is revolutionising and impacting cancer treatment.

3) Environmental impact related to the manufacturing, transportation, application and disposal with a focus on contrast agents/tracer pollution and energy consumption proposing novel or mitigating strategies that could be applied or integrated into the clinical setting to reduce carbon footprint and environmental waste-water pollution.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Molecular imaging, radiology, molecular therapy, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, ultrasound imaging, contrast agent, probe design, fluorescence image-guided surgery, optical imaging, molecular radiotherapy, high-intensity focused

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.