In nuclear medicine, the non-invasive molecular imaging modalities position emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are powerful technologies that can be used to track the distribution and fate of cells, to understand where a cellular-based treatment goes, the length of time it remains there and how it interacts with a specific organ or tissue.
To establish the efficacy of a cellular therapy, researchers need to understand the interplay between various factors including cell type, cause of disease, delivery route, cell retention and activation of resident cells. Integrating PET and SPECT into preclinical and clinical trials of cellular therapies has helped to optimize those therapies by enriching scientists’ understanding of how these factors interact.