Highlighting the Undetectable — Fluorescence Molecular Imaging in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

AbstractFlexible high-definition white-light endoscopy is the current gold standard in screening for cancer and its precursor lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. However, miss rates are high, especially in populations at high risk for developing gastrointestinal cancer (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, Lynch syndrome, or Barrett ’s esophagus) where lesions tend to be flat and subtle. Fluorescence molecular endoscopy (FME) enables intraluminal visualization of (pre)malignant lesions based on specific biomolecular features rather than morphology by using fluorescently labeled molecular probes that bind to specific molecular targets. This strategy has the potential to serve as a valuable tool for the clinician to improve endoscopic lesion detection and real-time clinical decision-making. This narrative review presents an overview of recent advances in FME, focusing on probe development, techniques, and clinical evidenc e. Future perspectives will also be addressed, such as the use of FME in patient stratification for targeted therapies and potential alliances with artificial intelligence.Key Messages• Fluorescence molecular endoscopy is a relatively new technology that enables safe and real-time endoscopic lesion visualization based on specific molecular features rather than on morphology, thereby adding a layer of information to endoscopy, like in PET-CT imaging.• Recently the transition from preclinical to clinical studies has been made, with promising results regard...
Source: Molecular Imaging and Biology - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research