From man to mouse to cell … and back again

Molecular imaging is an emerging field of research for the investigation of biological processes occurring at cellular level. This new field could help the understanding of human diseases by studying animal models. To accomplish this ambitious program, the development of novel high-performance imaging instruments such as small animal PET holds a fundamental role. This paper reports on the present state of the art in small animal PET scanners together with a spotlight view on future technologies for next generation instruments.