In-vivo and in-vitro diagnostics in molecular medicine
In molecular medicine – and particularly in oncology - Siemens Medical Solutions is concentrating on further development of the FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) biomarker to improve identification of certain tumours.
Thanks to the combination of in-vivo and in-vitro diagnostic procedures, the relatively unspecific image currently delivered by the FDG marker can be combined with additional information from laboratory diagnostics and interpreted accordingly. In turn, the results deliver clues to further development of specific markers.
It is also conceivable that there will be more fine-tuning in the development of in-vivo and in-vitro biomarkers, so that disease patterns that are localised in-vitro can be specified with the appropriate in-vivo biomarkers. Both areas are still so innovative that, as yet, there are no tangible synergies. However, the potential for an integrated diagnostics company is great, seeing how the trend points towards a combination of early, localised detection with radioactive biomarkers in in-vivo diagnostics with fluorescent markers matched in detailed in-vitro diagnostics.
This article was published on 06/26/2007
