Table 7.

Current utilized imaging methods for evaluation of LNP-based RNA therapeutics.

	Imaging modality	Method	Interpretation	Limitation
Pharmacokinetics	Fluorescence imaging	- Fluorescence dye labeling to LNP or RNA	- in vivo: IVIS imaging - in vitro: Confocal microscopy	Not quantitative
Pharmacodynamics		- Fluorescent protein-coding mRNA - Silencing RNA for fluorescence genes (in cells or animals)		Assess multiple steps in one analysis
Endosomal escape		- Fluorescence labeling - Leakage assay - Membrane damage marker imaging	- in vitro: Confocal microscopy	Not quantitative and lacking in vivo imaging method