A Bright Future For Optical Imaging

One bright spot emerging in this lackluster economy is the market for optical imaging technologies. Optical imaging encompasses a wide array of current and emerging techniques that use light as the primary imaging modality to characterize local anatomy down to cellular and molecular levels. Optical technologies include those based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), intrinsic tissue contrast imaging, contrast agent-based imaging, near-infrared technologies, bioluminescence, and visible light technologies. (See Exhibit 1.) These technologies offer several potential advantages over existing radiological techniques and allow physicians to identify tissue components, microstructural images, and pathology in vivo in real time at the point of care. (See Exhibit 2.)

Optical imaging could enable clinicians to detect disease more accurately and at an earlier, more treatable stage than is possible with existing macroscopic techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),...