Targeted 19F MRI for molecular imaging of the immune response and its theranostics

The in vivo visualization of inflammatory processes offers not only the possibility of localizing disease, but also of monitoring its progression over time. Among available imaging modalities, combined 1H/19F MRI has emerged as a powerful technique, as it enables the detection of inflammation with minimal background signal. Beyond diagnosis, however, there is increasing interest in using this platform to initiate targeted therapeutic interventions. The integration of these two components – diagnosis and therapy – is commonly referred to as theranostics. In this review, we provide an overview of the potential of fluorine-based MRI and highlight a range of targeted theranostic applications across different disease models. Particular emphasis is placed on recent strategies to manipulate neutrophils during acute colitis, which have demonstrated significant improvements in disease outcome.