Table 2.
Properties of the molecular imaging tomographic modalities.
| Technique | Imaging Agent | Spatial Resolution | Detection Sensitivity | Penetration Depth | Quantification Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optical | Fluorophores or lanthanides | 2–3 mm | 10−11 mol·L−1 | <20 mm | Medium |
| Photoacoustic | Light absorbing agents | 0.1–1 mm | 10−11 mol·L−1 | <70 mm | Medium |
| Ultrasound | Gas microbubbles | 0.5–1 mm | 10−8 mol·L−1 | <200 mm | Low |
| MRI | (Super)para-magnetic agents | 0.03–1 mm | 10−5 mol·L−1 | >300 mm | Medium |
| CT | I or Ba agents | 0.03–1 mm | 0.1 mol·L−1 | >300 mm | − |
| PET | β+-emitters | 1–10 mm | 10−12 mol·L−1 | >300 mm | High |
| SPECT | γ-emitters | 0.5–15 mm | 10−11 mol·L−1 | >300 mm | High |