Seeing the light in bone metabolism imaging

Conventional in vivo imaging of bone metabolism is dominated by γ-ray bone scintigraphy: a technique in which γ-ray emissions from radioactively labeled regions of metabolically active bone are mapped. More recently, however, near-infrared fluorescent probes have been developed that optically emulate these radionuclides. Although still in their infancy, techniques based on the use of such functionally targeted fluorophores might one-day offer improved resolution, sensitivity and speed in bone metabolism imaging – without any of the health risks posed by the internalization of radioactive sources.