New Developments in Carbonic Anhydrase IX-Targeted Fluorescence and Nuclear Imaging Agents

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a hypoxia-induced biomarker specific to solid tumors.
• CAIX-targeted imaging holds significant clinical potential for cancer diagnosis and treatment assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in CAIX-targeted molecular imaging probes.
• To discuss the application of these probes in nuclear and optical imaging modalities.

Main Methods:

• Review of CAIX-targeted probes including monoclonal antibodies, antibody fragments, peptides, and small molecules.
• Focus on probes for single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRF).

Main Results:

• Development of diverse CAIX-targeted probes for various imaging techniques.
• Demonstrated utility of nuclear imaging for non-invasive diagnosis and treatment response assessment.
• Highlighted the role of intraoperative optical fluorescence imaging in surgical tumor delineation.

Conclusions:

• CAIX-targeted probes are crucial for advancing cancer molecular imaging.
• Continued development is needed to address current limitations and optimize clinical application.