. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Oct 1.

Published in final edited form as: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009 Apr 16;29(10):1424–1432. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.108.180521

Table 2.

Imaging modalities and labeling strategies

Imaging modality	Resolution	Labeling approaches			Fusion imaging
		Genetic reporter	Exogenous cell tracker	Injectable targeting agent
IVM	1 μm	Fluorescent proteins			No
			Fluor. agents (visible, NIR)
				Fluor. agents (visible, NIR)

Fiberoptics	1-5 μm	Fluorescent proteins			No
			Fluor. agents (visible, NIR)
				Fluor. agents (visible, NIR)

FMT	1 mm		Fluor. agents (NIR)		with CT, PET, SPECT, MRI
				Fluor. agents (NIR)

PET	1-2 mm	HS-VTK			with CT, FMT, SPECT, MRI
			Isotope-labeled agents (⁶⁴Cu)
				Isotope-labeled agents (⁶⁴Cu)

SPECT	1-2 mm		Isotope-labeled agents (¹¹¹In)		with CT, FMT, PET, MRI
				Isotope-labeled agents (¹¹¹In)

MRI	10-100 μm		(Super)para- magnetic particles		with CT, FMT, PET, SPECT
				(Super)para- magnetic particles

IVM, Intravital microscopy; Fiberoptics, Catheter-based fiberoptic imaging; FMT, fluorescence molecular tomography; PET, position emission tomography; SPECT, single photon emission computed tomography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; CT, x-ray computed tomography. Fusion imaging refers to imaging modalities that can be combined. Fusion imaging is expected to help future studies aimed at better detecting cells and other biological activities as they unfold in vivo. The advantages and limitations of the imaging modalities and labeling approaches listed here are detailed in the text.