Radiotherapy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Radiotherapy, including details on cancer treatment, side effects.

Targeted molecular imaging in oncology: focus on radiation therapy.

Nimmagadda S, Ford EC, Wong JW, Pomper MG

Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD.

Anatomically based technologies (computed tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and so on) are in routine use in radiotherapy for planning and assessment purposes. Even with improvements in imaging, however, radiotherapy is still limited in efficacy and toxicity in certain applications. Further advances may be provided by technologies that image the molecular activities of tumors and normal tissues. Possible uses for molecular imaging include better localization of tumor regions and early assay for the radiation response of tumors and normal tissues. Critical to the success of this approach is the identification and validation of molecular probes that are suitable in the radiotherapy context. Recent developments in molecular-imaging probes and integration of functional imaging with radiotherapy are promising. This review focuses on recent advances in molecular imaging strategies and probes that may aid in improving the efficacy of radiotherapy.

Published 3 March 2008 in Semin Radiat Oncol, 18(2): 136-48.
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