Biomarker Imaging for Preclinical Cancer Research Scientific article by Nina Culum, MSc LISTEN TO ARTICLE: Despite advances in diagnostics and treatment, cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide [1]. Many cancers are already metastatic at presentation due to limited options for early cancer screening, many of which involve invasive physical exams, tissue biopsies, or radiation for imaging [2]. A major challenge in effective cancer treatment is therefore early disease diagnosis, which would greatly improve patient survival. Current and emerging molecular biomarkers for cancer detection and progression monitoring are vital to cancer management, but the challenge remains to identify those with adequate sensitivity and specificity for accurate diagnosis and prognosis [3].

Preclinical and Clinical Applications of Cancer Biomarker Imaging

Biospecimen-derived and imaging biomarkers are both widely used in oncology research and practice. In healthcare settings, biomarker imaging applications include diagnosing and staging cancer, targeting treatments, and predicting and monitoring therapeutic efficacy and/or toxicity, while research applications include guiding drug development and tracking drug efficacy and resistance [4]. Although biomarkers are useful for clinical practice, those that do not cross the translational gap can still further research and drug discovery. For example, left ventricular ejection fraction, a safety biomarker, can guide recruitment and continuation in many clinical trials through scintigraphy or ultrasound imaging [5]. In this article, we review several modalities commonly used for cancer biomarker imaging at preclinical stages, as well as recent technological advances. https://insidescientific.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/EVALUA2.jpg Evaluation and Optimization of Right Ventricular and Lung Imaging Using High Frequency Ultrasound An in-depth review and discussion on the value of imaging the mouse right ventricle and