Application of Bioimaging Techniques to Mechanistic Studies on Photodynamic Therapy

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically effective cancer treatment which is based on cytotoxicity of reactive oxygen species generated by an interaction between photosensitizer and light. In recent years, many detailed mechanisms for PDT-induced cell death have been reported to improve the efficacy of PDT, and applications to other diseases have been sought. Imaging technique will provide additional information on the mechanism that has not been obtained by conventional methods. This article reviews recent mechanistic studies on PDT-induced cell death and introduces applicable imaging techniques for these studies.