Image-based Diagnostic and/or Therapeutic Agent Delivery Models in Cancer

Due to the intricate complexities of diseases such as cancer and the multiple transport pathways associated with the delivery of therapeutic/diagnostic agents, advanced multi-physics and multi-scale mathematical/computational models can be utilized to investigate the shortcomings of these methods in treating/diagnosing diseases. A wide range of mathematical models have been developed to mimic the biological and physiological environments in animals and humans, and to simulate behaviors of these agents. Computational models are able to integrate principles from various areas, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, fluid mechanics/dynamics, tissue mechanics, mass transport, heat transfer, and biochemical processes. Combined with patient-specific data, these models have the significant potential to be validated and even personalized (e.g., digital twins) for translation to routine clinical applications.

Medical imaging and image processing approaches have shown promise in producing patient-specific variables that can be included in computational simulations to improve the anticipated accuracy of those models. As a result, predictions of therapeutic/diagnostic agents delivery techniques using image-based computational modeling has received significant attention, enabling individualized predictions. To this end, the current Research Topic investigates essential imaging modalities, focusing on how to extract patient-specific information and to integrate with advanced computational models for drug delivery. This Research Topic will also investigate mathematical models and simulations for delivery systems for different therapeutic/diagnostic agents using simplified or synthetic geometries and images.

The submission of original research and review articles are encouraged. In general, we aim to highlight cutting-edge research on image-based mathematical models of drug delivery for different diseases. Potential subjects include, but are not limited to:

• Acquisition of patient-specific information from different imaging modalities and using in patient-specific delivery models or diagnosis of new diseases;

• Delivery models related to images CT, MRI, Perfusion CT/MRI, Diffusion MRI, PET/SPECT, Ultrasound, Optical imaging etc.;

• Use of imaging techniques in diagnosis or prognosis of new diseases;

• Artificial intelligence application in image-based drug/diagnostic agent delivery models

• Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) or physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models in therapeutic/diagnostic agent transport and delivery;

• Models of therapeutic/diagnostic agent release, transport, and delivery;

• Nanomedicine modeling;

• Inverse problems for patient-specific delivery models;

• Therapeutic approaches using external and/or internal stimuli for activating drug/nanoparticles;

• Implantable drug delivery systems;

• Transport phenomena of drug-loaded vehicles (including liposomes, micro/nano-bubbles, etc.);

• Delivery of radiopharmaceuticals, PET radiotracers, etc.;