Imaging the immune response: Integrating biomarkers across cancer, neuroimmunology, and autoimmune disease

Imaging technologies have transformed research and clinical care in modern immunology, providing essential tools for the diagnosis, monitoring, and evaluation of immune-mediated diseases. In neurological autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a cornerstone for clinical decision-making, yet it lacks the specificity required to distinguish disease subtypes or detect early activity with confidence. Parallel challenges exist in oncology, where radiological measures such as progression-free survival demonstrate only partial alignment with patient outcomes in the era of immunotherapies. These limitations have driven substantial research into new quantitative imaging biomarkers, including the emergence of advanced MRI protocols, immuno-PET tracers, and hybrid imaging methods. However, most innovations remain in early validation stages, and efforts are often siloed by disease area and modality, restricting opportunities for broader scientific integration and translation.

Recent studies highlight promising advances, such as oscillating gradient spin-echo MRI for cell population differentiation, and specific PET tracers targeting immune processes, illustrating the capacity of imaging to non-invasively interrogate immunological activity and microenvironmental changes. Integrating these findings across fields remains a major gap. Despite substantial parallel research in neuroimmunology, cancer biology, and systemic autoimmunity, few platforms exist for synthesizing these advances through a unified immunological lens. Without structured frameworks for cross-talk, many imaging breakthroughs remain confined to specialized domains, slowing translational progress and broader clinical adoption.

This Research Topic aims to establish a comprehensive forum for “immunology-informed imaging,” uniting researchers from oncology, neuroimmunology, and systemic autoimmunity to discuss, converge, and advance the use of imaging as a non-invasive biomarker of immune processes. By reframing investigations around shared immunopathogenic mechanisms, the initiative seeks to foster collaborative development of imaging methodologies, promote standardization and cross-validation, and accelerate the clinical translation of novel imaging tools for improved patient management.

The research focus is limited to imaging methods and their validation as non-invasive biomarkers in immune-mediated diseases, bridging preclinical and clinical research across disease boundaries. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Imaging biomarkers for neuroimmunology and autoimmunity, including MRI, PET, and hybrid modalities for diagnosis and monitoring

• Innovative imaging approaches in cancer immunology and immunotherapy response assessment

• Development and characterization of novel imaging probes and quantitative image analysis techniques

• Translational pipelines integrating imaging, pathology, genomics, and liquid biomarkers for immune-related endpoints

• Regulatory, trial design, and implementation considerations for new imaging biomarkers in immunology

Original research (methodology development, clinical trials, etc.), reviews, and perspectives focused on imaging applications in immune-mediated diseases and immunotherapies.