Precision Oncology Through Diagnostic Imaging and Theranostics

A Special Issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729) belonging to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2027 | Viewed by 1044

Editors

Department of Medical Education, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL, USA
Interests: molecular imaging; chemical probes; reactive oxygen species; oxidative stress; cell death; nanomedicine; target-ed drug delivery; retinal ganglion cells; traumatic optic neuropathy; cancer biology; precision medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, North Alabama Medical Center, Florence, AL, USA
Interests: cancer biology; cancer diagnostics; sarcoma; IDH mutations; translational oncology; targeted therapy; epigenetic modifiers; drug discovery and screening; precision medicine; tumor metabolis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
Interests: cancer diagnostics; cancer therapy; nanotechnology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and early, accurate diagnosis is critical for improving patient outcomes. Recent progress in diagnostic imaging has transformed the detection, staging, and monitoring of cancers, while the emergence of theranostics, which combines diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, has opened new opportunities for precision oncology. Molecular imaging, radiomics, and artificial intelligence allow visualization of tumor biology at the cellular and molecular levels, facilitating personalized treatment planning and the real-time evaluation of therapeutic responses.

This Special Issue aims to highlight current advances in cancer diagnostic imaging and theranostics, covering both fundamental discoveries and translational applications. Areas of interest include novel imaging probes and radiotracers, image-guided therapy, nanotheranostics, multimodal imaging, and imaging biomarkers for treatment prediction and monitoring. Studies that integrate imaging technologies with molecular biology, pharmacology, immunotherapy, or targeted drug delivery are particularly welcome.

By bridging innovation from laboratory research to clinical application, this Special Issue provides a platform for researchers, clinicians, and industry experts to share insights that drive the development of effective, individualized cancer management strategies. We invite original research, comprehensive reviews, and methodological studies that advance the understanding and application of diagnostic imaging and theranostics in oncology.

Dr. Wensi Tao
Dr. Luyuan Li
Dr. Yu-Ping Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer imaging
  • molecular imaging
  • theranostics
  • nanomedicine
  • imaging biomarkers
  • precision oncology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 10222 KB  
Article
Enhanced Imaging in Bladder Cancer: Fluorescence Cystoscopy and Molecular Diagnostics
by Dominik Godlewski, David Aebisher, Dorota Bartusik-Aebisher, Klaudia Dynarowicz, Barbara Smolak, Magdalena Krupka-Olek and Aleksandra Kawczyk-Krupka
Life 2026, 16(5), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16050828 - 16 May 2026
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Bladder cancer remains one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies worldwide and is characterized by high recurrence rates requiring long-term surveillance. Conventional white-light cystoscopy (WLC) remains the standard diagnostic method; however, it may fail to detect flat lesions such as carcinoma in [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Bladder cancer remains one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies worldwide and is characterized by high recurrence rates requiring long-term surveillance. Conventional white-light cystoscopy (WLC) remains the standard diagnostic method; however, it may fail to detect flat lesions such as carcinoma in situ or small papillary tumors. In recent years, enhanced imaging techniques, including fluorescence cystoscopy and autofluorescence-based systems, have been introduced to improve diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of fluorescence-based diagnostic techniques and autofluorescence imaging supported by numerical color value (NCV) analysis in the detection and assessment of bladder lesions. Methods: The study was conducted at the Center of Photodynamic Diagnostics and Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Physical Medicine, Medical University of Silesia in Bytom. Bladder mucosa was assessed using the Onco-LIFE optical imaging system, which enables visualization under both white-light and autofluorescence conditions. The study included 30 patients diagnosed with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or suspected bladder lesions, who underwent cystoscopic evaluation using white-light cystoscopy and autofluorescence imaging. From this cohort, three representative cases were selected for detailed qualitative presentation to illustrate different pathological conditions of the bladder mucosa. In selected cases, photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) using intravesical administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was performed prior to cystoscopic examination. Autofluorescence signals were analyzed using red and green fluorescence channels, and tissue characteristics were evaluated using the numerical color value parameter. Results: Representative cases of non-muscle-invasive bladder lesions were analyzed and compared using conventional white-light cystoscopy and autofluorescence imaging. The use of fluorescence-based imaging enabled improved visualization of suspicious mucosal changes compared with standard WLC. Differences in fluorescence patterns were observed between malignant lesions, inflammatory changes, and carcinoma in situ. NCV analysis allowed quantitative assessment of fluorescence signals and supported differentiation of pathological tissue from normal bladder mucosa. Conclusions: Fluorescence cystoscopy and autofluorescence-based imaging systems represent valuable tools for improving the detection of bladder lesions during endoscopic examination. The integration of enhanced optical imaging techniques with quantitative fluorescence analysis may increase diagnostic sensitivity and support targeted biopsy and tumor resection. Continued technological development and clinical experience may further expand the role of fluorescence diagnostics in the early detection and management of bladder cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Oncology Through Diagnostic Imaging and Theranostics)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop