Journal
TOXICOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Volume 29, Issue 1, Pages 1-6Publisher
KOREAN SOC TOXICOLOGY
DOI: 10.5487/TR.2013.29.1.001
Keywords
Nuclear imaging; microSPECT; microPET; Animal experimental model; Molecular imaging; Drug development
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Funding
- Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute from the Nuclear R&D Program of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, South Korea [2012M2B2B1055245]
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The process of drug discovery and development requires substantial resources and time. The drug industry has tried to reduce costs by conducting appropriate animal studies together with molecular biological and genetic analyses. Basic science research has been limited to in vitro studies of cellular processes and ex vivo tissue examination using suitable animal models of disease. However, in the past two decades new technologies have been developed that permit the imaging of live animals using radiotracer emission, Xrays, magnetic resonance signals, fluorescence, and bioluminescence. The main objective of this review is to provide an overview of small animal molecular imaging, with a focus on nuclear imaging (single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography). These technologies permit visualization of toxicodynamics as well as toxicity to specific organs by directly monitoring drug accumulation and assessing physiological and/or molecular alterations. Nuclear imaging technology has great potential for improving the efficiency of the drug development process.
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