Editorial
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World J Gastrointest Endosc. Mar 16, 2012; 4(3): 57-64
Published online Mar 16, 2012. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v4.i3.57
Recent advances in targeted endoscopic imaging: Early detection of gastrointestinal neoplasms
Yong-Soo Kwon, Young-Seok Cho, Tae-Jong Yoon, Ho-Shik Kim, Myung-Gyu Choi
Yong-Soo Kwon, Tae-Jong Yoon, Department of Applied Bioscience, CHA University, Seoul 135081, South Korea
Young-Seok Cho, Department of Gastroenterology, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Uijeongbu 480717, South Korea
Ho-Shik Kim, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137701, South Korea
Myung-Gyu Choi, Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137701, South Korea
Author contributions: Kwon YS and Cho YS designed the study, collected and analyzed the data and wrote the first draft manuscript; Yoon TJ and Kim HS designed the study and revised the manuscript; and Choi MG revised the manuscript and supervised the work.
Supported by The National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korea government No. 2010-0023295; and grant funded by the Catholic Medical Center Research Foundation made in the program year of 2010
Correspondence to: Young-Seok Cho, MD, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 65-1 Geumo-dong, Uijeongbu 480717, South Korea. yscho@catholic.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-31-8203658 Fax: +82-31-8472719
Received: September 7, 2011
Revised: January 22, 2012
Accepted: March 2, 2012
Published online: March 16, 2012
Abstract

Molecular imaging has emerged as a new discipline in gastrointestinal endoscopy. This technology encompasses modalities that can visualize disease-specific morphological or functional tissue changes based on the molecular signature of individual cells. Molecular imaging has several advantages including minimal damage to tissues, repetitive visualization, and utility for conducting quantitative analyses. Advancements in basic science coupled with endoscopy have made early detection of gastrointestinal cancer possible. Molecular imaging during gastrointestinal endoscopy requires the development of safe biomarkers and exogenous probes to detect molecular changes in cells with high specificity anda high signal-to-background ratio. Additionally, a high-resolution endoscope with an accurate wide-field viewing capability must be developed. Targeted endoscopic imaging is expected to improve early diagnosis and individual therapy of gastrointestinal cancer.

Keywords: Autofluorescence endoscopy; Confocal endomicroscopy; Endoscopy; Molecular imaging; Molecular probes, Near-infrared fluorescence imaging; Targeted endoscopic imaging