Named Series: Neuroimaging, Inflammation and BehaviorNovel imaging tools for investigating the role of immune signalling in the brain

- Traditional neuroimmune imaging modalities are inadequate.
- Tissue clearing facilitates the 3-dimensional imaging of organs.
- Nanoparticles have a superior luminescence signal compared to fluorophores/dyes.
- MALDI determines the localisation and abundance of specific molecules within tissue.
- Raman identifies chemical species within a sample using a label-free technique.

The importance of neuro-immune interactions in both physiological and pathophysiological states cannot be overstated. As our appreciation for the neuroimmune nature of the brain and spinal cord grows, so does our need to extend the spatial and temporal resolution of our molecular analysis techniques. Current imaging technologies applied to investigate the actions of the neuroimmune system in both health and disease states have been adapted from the fields of immunology and neuroscience. While these classical techniques have provided immense insight into the function of the CNS, they are however, inherently limited. Thus, the development of innovative methods which overcome these limitations are crucial for imaging and quantifying acute and chronic neuroimmune responses. Therefore, this review aims to convey emerging novel and complementary imaging technologies in a form accessible to medical scientists engaging in neuroimmune research.