Table 3 Performance of different modalities applicable for depth-resolved (volumetric) imaging of the CNS.
Imaging method | Anatomical contrast | Molecular/Functional contrast | Sensitivity to contrast agents | Spatial resolution (*) | Penetration depth | Cost | Safety | Applicability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X-Ray CT | Medium | Poor | μmol (10-6) | 10-500 μm scalable | Whole-body | Medium | Medium | Pre-clinical/ Clinical |
MRI | Good | Medium | nmol (10-9) | 30-500 μm scalable | Whole-body | High | Good | Pre-clinical/ Clinical |
PET/SPECT | Poor | Good | fmol (10-14) | 1 - 5 mm | Whole-body | High | Medium | Pre-clinical/ Clinical |
3D light microscopy | Good | Good | fmol (10-14) | 0.2 - 10 μm | Superficial (<1 mm) | Medium | Good | Pre-clinical |
FMT | Poor | Good | pmol (10-12) | 1 - 2 mm | ~20 mm | Low | Good | Pre-clinical |
MSOT microscopy/ tomography | Good | Good | pmol (10-12) | 5 - 200 μm scalable | ~30 mm | Low | Good | Pre-clinical/ Clinical |