Extensions of old imaging techniques and novel new practices are beginning to change the way medicine is practiced. Spiral CT scans and MRI are now used extensively to collect three-dimensional information that aids physicians in localization and identification of morphological disturbances or trauma. Positron Emission Tomography allows an even more specific understanding of local metabolism. Recent improvements in some non-specific imaging contrast reagents have also improved sensitivity and specificity in ultrasound technologies. In general nonspecific imaging techniques continue to make strides in characterizing the morphology of a system.

A new set of improvements is now beginning. Technologies can now image individual molecule distribution, providing a micromolar concentration within tissue and within living creatures. This technology, titled molecular imaging, can create a profile of certain molecules, such that dynamic chemical imaging is possible. Along with chemical imaging, other technologies can now characterize the physical movement of liquids within the tissue, thereby characterizing the microphysiology of the specimen. Combined, these techniques, along with three dimensional morphological data gives a complete "video" of the events in a tissue volume. This video contains more complete information concerning the physiology happening in that volume than any tool previously available.

Two issues hold back the rapid development of this dynamic imaging technology. The first problem is that no one has built the infrastructure to capture, manipulate and extract knowledge from this massive amount of data, such that it can be compared patient to patient and situation to situation. The second problem is that for most molecules of real interest, the concentration found in most physiological situations is too low for present technology. If these two impediments could be removed, there could be tremendous potential for medical imaging to become the standard diagnostic tool and drug screening tool.

BIOwulf has programs underway to address both of these problems. First, through our exclusive license agreement, our company is structuring mathematical tools to manipulate three and four dimensional image data such that facile comparisons can be made. These tools will create a baseline to collect and improve the data being potentiated by others¹ progress in molecular and dynamic imaging.

Secondly, BIOwulf has used its contacts and skills in Proteomics and nanotechnology to start to develop advantaged labels for ultrasensitive molecular detection using multiple moieties. These technologies, being developed in the laboratories of several leading academics, have already shown that they can relieve the sensitivity boundary in one technique, and others have the theoretical potential to completely change the limits of in vivo imaging, particularly in concert with BIOwulf mathematics.