Advances in physiologic, metabolic, and molecular lung imaging: a critical role for interdisciplinary dialogue-the 2006 International Workshop on Functional Lung Imaging at Penn.

摘要

It is an exciting time for pulmonary medicine. Genetic and molecular techniques are providing deeper insight into disease mechanisms. As a consequence, diseases are increasingly defined by genetic, molecular, and physiologic paradigms, rather than the traditional constructs of syndromes and anatomy. These changes bring new insight and understanding to the field of pulmonary medicine, and clinicians armed with this knowledge are placing new demands on their diagnostic tools. As the definition of diseases change, physicians will become increasingly dependent on gauges of lung function, metabolism, and genetic expression to diagnose and manage their patients. These observations hold true for the demands of pulmonary imaging as well, and it is imperative that the field adapts and integrates into the new diagnostic landscape if it is to remain relevant.