[Molecular imaging of the small intestine]

Molecular imaging uses the molecular signature of cells for targeted minimally-invasive detection and characterization of gastrointestinal pathologies. Exogenous fluorescent agents serve as molecular beacons for visualization of specific surface markers or metabolic activity in the target tissue. Molecular imaging with radioactively labeled substances is well established in nuclear medicine for wide-field detection of lesions in the small intestine. In gastrointestinal endoscopy, both macroscopic detection by endogenous or exogenous fluorescence and microscopic visualization by endomicroscopy have been investigated in clinical trials, however have not yet been evaluated in larger patient cohorts. Still, molecular imaging has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of gastrointestinal pathology and to impact on future clinical algorithms and science in gastroenterology.