Navigating iNOS-targeted molecular imaging for inflammation: from comparative analysis of the current state of molecular imaging and translational challenges to future strategies and prospects.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) plays a pivotal role in mediating inflammatory responses through the production of excessive nitric oxide (NO). Aberrant iNOS expression is closely associated with various pathological states, establishing it as a crucial biomarker and therapeutic target for inflammation-related disorders. In this study, we described the mechanisms of iNOS in inflammation, strategies for targeting iNOS, and approaches for improving iNOS tracers. Furthermore, in view of the immense diagnostic role of iNOS, we offered an outline of the various imaging technologies, including positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), fluorescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which target iNOS in inflammatory diseases. We also underscore the challenges that are prevalent in these technologies, which appear to thwart their applications in clinical settings. Viable suggestions to mitigate these issues were also provided, which could potentially render iNOS-based imaging a standardized protocol in the clinical landscape involving inflammatory diseases.