Molecular Imaging in Urology

Abstract

Imaging plays an integral role in urology by providing anatomical detail and diagnostic insight of urologic diseases. Cross-sectional imaging technologies including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US) are used primarily for initial diagnosis, surgical planning, and disease surveillance. In the operating room setting, optical imaging based on white light has provided the illumination for endourologic procedures of the upper and lower urinary tracts, as well as complex abdominal and pelvic surgeries increasingly performed through the laparoscopic/robotic approach. Nevertheless, current imaging technologies still carry limitations such as inadequate sensitivity in early detection of metastases (CT and MRI) and suboptimal diagnostic accuracy (e.g., white-light cystoscopy). Molecular imaging offers the possibility of improved early detection, intraoperative surgical guidance with molecular specificity, and therapeutic monitoring. This review focuses on this exciting emerging field within urology.