Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (680 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Any visual display of structural or functional patterns of organs or tissues for diagnostic evaluation. It includes measuring physiologic and metabolic responses to physical and chemical stimuli, as well as ultramicroscopy.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Imaging, Diagnostic; Medical Imaging; Imaging, Medical.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures
- Narrower topics
- Cardiac Imaging Techniques; Dacryocystography; Forensic Imaging; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Microscopy; Microwave Imaging; Molecular Imaging; Multimodal Imaging; Neuroimaging; Optical Imaging; Photography; Postmortem Imaging; Radiography
- See also
- Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Phantoms, Imaging
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 3,173,852 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Diagnostic Imaging” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 534,686 of them (16.8%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 1,013,015 records.
Reviews account for 263,782 records (8.3%) and meta-analyses for 14,554. Randomized controlled trials number 50,762 (1.6%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,013,015 |
| 2000-2009 | 659,904 |
| 2010-2019 | 966,247 |
| 2020 onward | 534,686 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 263,782 | 8.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 14,554 | 0.5% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 50,762 | 1.6% |
Method: PubMed query "Diagnostic Imaging"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in diagnostics and medical technology
A test or device is judged by how well it detects a condition, how often it gives false alarms or misses cases, and whether using it improves outcomes for people. Accuracy depends on who is tested and how common the condition is, so a test that performs well in a specialist hospital can perform differently in the community. Check the reference standard, the population studied, the sensitivity and specificity and whether results were confirmed in a separate group.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characterization of the Trimeric TOM Complex by HS-AFM Single-Molecule Analysis | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42920373 · DOI · PMC13695020 |
| Can Spleen T1 Mapping Be Used as a Marker of Adenosine Response in Cardiac MRI? | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 42956826 · DOI · PMC13719266 |
| Copper-Mediated Radiofluorination of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2)-Targeted PET Tracer [18F]RP-115: Alternate Synthetic Method | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 0 | cc by PMID 42952031 · DOI · PMC13716918 |
Characterization of the Trimeric TOM Complex by HS-AFM Single-Molecule Analysis [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex is the entry gate for mitochondrial proteins synthesized in the cytosol.
- Closing excerpt
- Together, these findings provide quantitative and structural evidence for a predominantly trimeric organization of the purified TOM complex and suggest that the trimer contains a stable core-dimer unit with a more loosely associated third Tom40-containing unit.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (198 words)
The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex is the entry gate for mitochondrial proteins synthesized in the cytosol. Previous biochemical studies indicated that the TOM complex functions as a trimer and exists in a dynamic equilibrium with a Tom22-lacking dimer in intact mitochondria. In contrast, recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies revealed near-atomic structures of the Tom22-containing core dimer. However, the relationship between the core dimer and the functional trimer remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the oligomeric organization and structural properties of purified yeast TOM complexes using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM). Purified yeast TOM complexes predominantly adopted a trimeric organization but underwent deformation and dissociation during repeated HS-AFM scanning, leaving dimeric and monomeric particles. Trimeric particles exhibited spherical shapes consistent with previous crosslinking models, whereas dissociated dimers closely resembled TOM core-dimer structures determined by cryo-EM. HS-AFM also revealed the peripheral localization of the Tom20 receptor and enabled direct visualization of substrate-TOM interactions, with TOM association accompanied by reduced substrate mobility. Together, these findings provide quantitative and structural evidence for a predominantly trimeric organization of the purified TOM complex and suggest that the trimer contains a stable core-dimer unit with a more loosely associated third Tom40-containing unit.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42920373 · DOI · PMC13695020
Can Spleen T1 Mapping Be Used as a Marker of Adenosine Response in Cardiac MRI? [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Splenic switch-off, defined as the visible reduction in splenic perfusion during adenosine stress, can be used as a marker of adequate adenosine response in cardiac stress MRI studies, which can be assessed after the study.
- Closing excerpt
- This work indicates that the splenic T1 value change has the potential to identify splenic switch-off during adenosine stress CMR in a clinical population.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (289 words)
Splenic switch-off, defined as the visible reduction in splenic perfusion during adenosine stress, can be used as a marker of adequate adenosine response in cardiac stress MRI studies, which can be assessed after the study. Moreover, there is some evidence regarding the use of T1 mapping for the evaluation of splenic switch-off during the study. The aim of this work is to further investigate splenic T1 mapping as a method for quantitatively assessing splenic switch-off, given the limited existing data. Patients with suspected coronary artery disease were scanned at 1.5 T with the routine clinical protocol for stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), including a T1 mapping sequence at rest and during adenosine stress. Visual assessment of first-pass images was used as the reference standard for detecting splenic switch-off. Semi-quantitative analysis of splenic perfusion was performed based on the signal intensity curves and signal changes (ΔSI) were calculated. T1 maps were used to obtain T1 value changes in the spleen from rest to stress (ΔT1spleen). Statistical analysis was assessed using an align rank transform followed by a mixed analysis of variance, with Bonferroni corrected post hoc tests. A total of 74.5% (n = 35/47) of analyzed patients experienced splenic switch-off according to the visual assessment. Statistically significant differences were found in splenic T1 between rest and stress only in the switch-off group (p s = 0.37, p = 0.01) between splenic ΔT1 and ΔSI based on first-pass. ROC curves demonstrated that ΔT1spleen classified the failed switch-off and positive switch-off groups with a specificity of 75% and a sensitivity of 80% (AUC: 81.2%, 95% CI: 66.7%-95.8%). This work indicates that the splenic T1 value change has the potential to identify splenic switch-off during adenosine stress CMR in a clinical population.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42956826 · DOI · PMC13719266
Copper-Mediated Radiofluorination of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2)-Targeted PET Tracer [18F]RP-115: Alternate Synthetic Method [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) is a key regulator of extracellular glutamate in the central nervous system.
- Closing excerpt
- This efficient synthesis may serve as a basis for the future implementation of a CMRF-based automated radiosynthesis of [18F]RP-115.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (193 words)
Excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) is a key regulator of extracellular glutamate in the central nervous system. Dysregulated EAAT2 is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), highlighting EAAT2 as a potential target for PET imaging. We previously reported a multistep radiosynthesis of [18F]RP-115, a CNS-permeable prodrug that undergoes esterase-mediated hydrolysis in the CNS to yield the active EAAT2-binding carboxylate. Motivated by recent advances in copper-mediated radiofluorination (CMRF), we sought to develop a more efficient late-stage radiosynthesis of [18F]RP-115. A two-step radiosynthesis of [18F]RP-115 using CMRF provided [18F]RP-115 in high radiochemical yield (52.8% ± 2.1 %, decay-corrected from starting [18F]fluoride ion, n = 4), high molar activity (355 ± 61 GBq/μmol), and high radiochemical purity (> 99%) with a total synthesis time of 70 min. Chiral HPLC analysis demonstrated that the configuration of the aspartic acid residue remained intact without racemization during both the CMRF and trifluoroacetic acid mediated deprotection. We developed an efficient radiosynthesis of [18F]RP-115 via CMRF, achieving high radiochemical yield and molar activity. This efficient synthesis may serve as a basis for the future implementation of a CMRF-based automated radiosynthesis of [18F]RP-115.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42952031 · DOI · PMC13716918
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Radiomics-based artificial intelligence models in brain tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic performance [4]
- Research article Validation of magnetic resonance imaging for quantification of intrapancreatic fat deposition using phantom and histologic comparators: a systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Diagnostic Performance of Biparametric versus Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Prospective Evidence on Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Melanoma Diagnostics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [7]
- Research article Diagnostic utility of quantitative susceptibility mapping in Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism: A systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Diagnostic Performance and Safety of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Sampling for Mediastinal/Hilar Lymphadenopathy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis [9]
Full-text reviews on EvidenceLib
Open-access review articles about this topic, reproduced in full with authors, licence and references.
Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Medicine: Challenges Across Diagnostic Imaging, Clinical Decision Support, Surgery, Pathology, and Drug Discovery
Eren Ogut, Athanassios A Kyrgidis · Clinics and Practice 2025 · CC BY 4.0
Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography: A New Skin Imaging Technique Reproducing a “Virtual Biopsy” with Evolving Clinical Applications in Dermatology
Simone Cappilli, Andrea Paradisi, Alessandro Di Stefani et al. · Diagnostics 2024 · CC BY 4.0
Medical Micro/Nanorobots in Precision Medicine
Fernando Soto, Jie Wang, Rajib Ahmed et al. · Advanced Science 2020 · CC BY 4.0
References
- Kobayashi N, Omura SN, Kuzasa K, Imai K, Kawai S, Imai H, et al.. Characterization of the Trimeric TOM Complex by HS-AFM Single-Molecule Analysis. . 2026. PMID 42920373 · DOI · PMC13695020
- Solis-Barquero SM, Ezponda A, Aramendía-Vidaurreta V, Vidorreta M, Pascual M, Bastarrika G, et al.. Can Spleen T1 Mapping Be Used as a Marker of Adenosine Response in Cardiac MRI?. . 2026. PMID 42956826 · DOI · PMC13719266
- Lee SH, Blecha J, Kim JM, Nillo RM, Flavell RR, Chao CK, et al.. Copper-Mediated Radiofluorination of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2)-Targeted PET Tracer [18F]RP-115: Alternate Synthetic Method. . 2026. PMID 42952031 · DOI · PMC13716918
- Reyes JS, Almeida T, Bouras A, Mettenburg J, Niranjan A, Lunsford LD, et al.. Radiomics-based artificial intelligence models in brain tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic performance. Neuroradiology. 2026. PMID 42043503 · DOI
- Zhang J, Liu Y, Petrov MS. Validation of magnetic resonance imaging for quantification of intrapancreatic fat deposition using phantom and histologic comparators: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Radiol. 2026. PMID 41872343 · DOI · PMC13341726
- Strieder de Oliveira G, Altmayer S, Torri GB, Prediger JE, Abreu-Gomez J, Ghai S, et al.. Diagnostic Performance of Biparametric versus Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Eur Urol. 2026. PMID 41702800 · DOI
- Laiouar-Pedari S, Kühn A, Wies C, Garcia CN, Winterstein JT, Heinlein L, et al.. Prospective Evidence on Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Melanoma Diagnostics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Dermatol. 2026. PMID 41879756 · DOI · PMC13019344
- Tahamtan M, Kolahi S, Vahidi M, Rezvani A, Radmard M, Firouznia K, et al.. Diagnostic utility of quantitative susceptibility mapping in Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroimage. 2026. PMID 42035898 · DOI
- Lyu S, Zheng Z, Guo J, Yu X, Feng X, Deng M, et al.. Diagnostic Performance and Safety of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Sampling for Mediastinal/Hilar Lymphadenopathy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Lung. 2026. PMID 42045698 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.