Endoscopic Molecular Imaging: Status and Future Perspective

During the last decade, researchers have made great progress in the development of new image processing technologies for gastrointestinal endoscopy. However, diagnosis using conventional endoscopy with white light optical imaging is essentially limited, and ultimately, we still rely on the histopathological diagnosis from biopsy specimens. Molecular imaging represents the most novel imaging methods in medicine, and the future of endoscopic diagnosis is likely to be impacted by a combination of biomarkers and technology. Endoscopic molecular imaging can be defined as the visualization of molecular characteristics with endoscopy. These innovations will allow us not only to locate a tumor or dysplastic lesion but also to visualize its molecular characteristics and the activity of specific molecules and biological processes that affect tumor behavior and/or its response to therapy. In the near future, these promising technologies will play a central role in endoluminal oncology.