Molecular imaging provides detailed pictures of what is happening inside the body at the molecular and cellular levels. Molecular imaging procedures are minimally-invasive and target distinct molecular pathways.

Other diagnostic imaging procedures – such as x-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds – offer pictures of a physical structure, but molecular imaging allows doctors to see the pathways and mechanisms as they are occurring in a living organism. They can then assess how the body is functioning, identify if a disease is present and measure chemical and biological processes.

Molecular imaging can help doctors determine (and determine sooner):

• The extent or severity of a disease (including whether it has spread),
• The most effective personalized treatments based on a patient’s unique genetics (also known as precision medicine or precision oncology),
• A patient’s expected response to a specific drug,
• How to adapt treatment plans in response to changes in cellular activity, and;
• Disease progression to identify recurrence or help manage ongoing care.