Table 1.
List of non-invasive imaging methods, their resolution and depth, costs, external material usage, information type as well as applications in TE ranging from imaging scaffolds (with or without cells), and preclinical and clinical applications.
| Method | Spatial Resolution | Imaging Depth | Information Type | Cost | External Material | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT | 5 µm | No limit | 3D | Medium | Yes | Scaffold + cells + Pre/Clinical |
| MRI | 5–200 µm | No limit | 3D | High | No | Scaffold + cells + Pre/Clinical |
| MPI | 1 µm | No limit | 2D/3D | Medium | Yes | Scaffold + cells + Pre/Clinical |
| Ultrasound | 20–100 µm | 10 mm | 3D | Medium | No | Scaffold + cells + Pre/Clinical |
| Fluorescence | 0.2–1 µm | 0.3–1 mm | 2D | Low | Yes | Scaffold + cells |
| Bioluminescence | 2–3 mm | 10 mm | 2D | Low | Yes | Scaffold + cells |
| Optical coherence tomography (OCT) | 1–15 µm | 1–3 mm | 2D | Low | No | Scaffold + cells + Pre/Clinical |
| Photoacoustic | 50–150 µm | 20 mm | 2D/3D | Medium | No | Scaffold + cells + Pre/Clinical |