Radiogenomic imaging-linking diagnostic imaging and molecular diagnostics

Abstract

Radiogenomic imaging refers to the correlation between cancer imaging features and gene expression and is one of the most promising areas within science and medicine. High-throughput biological techniques have reshaped the perspective of biomedical research allowing for fast and efficient assessment of the entire molecular topography of a cell’s physiology providing new insights into human cancers. The use of non-invasive imaging tools for gene expression profiling of solid tumors could serve as a means for linking specific imaging features with specific gene expression patterns thereby allowing for more accurate diagnosis and prognosis and obviating the need for high-risk invasive biopsy procedures. This review focuses on the medical imaging part as one of the main drivers for the development of radiogenomic imaging.

Keywords: Radiogenomic imaging; Personalized medicine; Diagnostic imaging

Core tip: Radiogenomic imaging has the potential to catalyze the health system by creating imaging biomarkers that identify the genomics of a disease. The use of noninvasive imaging for gene expression profiling is a fast and reliable technique which has the potential to replace high-risk invasive biopsy procedures.