Collection 

Optical imaging for diagnostics

The evolution of optical technologies in the context of diagnostic medical imaging has revolutionized, over the past two decades, the way we understand, detect and treat disease. By using labelled tags (which can be tailored to carry a wide range of molecular motifs) and advanced technologies that enable the detection of probe emissions with high sensitivity and specificity, bench researchers and clinicians have been able to diagnose disease by detecting, for example, cancer biomarkers, cell metabolic state and atherosclerotic lesions.

Mostly owing to ease of use and wide applicability range, optical imaging technologies are currently able to provide molecular-grade information, even in operating theatres. These features align well with the drive for personalized health care, envisaged for diagnosing patient subpopulations with increased precision.

This Collection brings together recent efforts in optical diagnostic imaging, and highlights the path bringing the development of optical imaging technologies towards their eventual impact in the clinic. The curated set of research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives and Comments bridge molecular imaging, protein engineering, nanoparticle design and materials science to deliver optical-imaging applications in clinical diagnostics.

The material of which selected content is free to access until February 10th 2017  has been published within the last two years in Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Communications, Nature Materials, Nature Medicine, Nature Methods, Nature Photonics, Nature ProtocolsNature Reviews Cardiology, Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology and Nature Reviews Urology.

 

Design of banner and header-image: Laura Marshall / Nature Research

Research

Reviews & Comments