Molecular Imaging in Oncology

The impact of molecular imaging on diagnostics, therapy, and follow-up in oncology is increasing significantly. The process of molecular imaging includes key biotarget identification, design of specific molecular imaging probes, and their preclinical evaluation, e.g., in vivo using small animal studies. A multitude of such innovative molecular imaging probes have already entered clinical diagnostics in oncology. There is no doubt that in future the emphasis will be on multimodality imaging in which morphological, functional, and molecular imaging techniques are combined in a single clinical investigation that will optimize diagnostic processes.

This handbook addresses all aspects of molecular imaging in oncology, ranging from basic research to clinical applications in the era of evidence-based medicine. The first section is devoted to technology and probe design, and examines a variety of PET and SPECT tracers as well as multimodality probes. Preclinical studies are then discussed in detail, with particular attention to multimodality imaging. In the third section, diverse clinical applications are presented, and the book closes by looking at future challenges. This handbook will be of value to all who are interested in the revolution in diagnostic oncology that is being brought about by molecular imaging.

Inhalt

Technology and probe design.- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.- Single photon emission computed tomography tracers.- Non-peptidyl 18F-labelled PET tracers as radioindicators for the noninvasive detection of cancer.- Optical and opto-acoustic imaging.- Multifunctional MRI probes.- Pre-clinical SPECTand SPECT-CT.- Optical imaging.- Applications of small animal PET.- Preclinical molecular imaging using PET and MRI.- Quantitative SPECT/CT.- Optical imaging of breast tumors and of gastrointestinal cancer by laser-induced fluorescence.- FDG PET and PET/CT.- Non-FDG PET/CT.- Future challenges of multimodality imaging.