ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the various methods for measurement of hemodynamic parameters of angiogenesis, such as blood flow, blood volume, or vascular permeability. Angiogenesis is a fundamental process involved in a variety of physiological as well as pathological conditions. All solid tumors start as small populations of transformed cells whose growth is controlled by a balance between apoptosis and tumor cell proliferation. Antiangiogenic drugs may be divided into three subgroups according to their main acting mechanism: first, true angiogenesis inhibitors; second, vascular targeting agents; and third, nonselective antiangiogenic agents, which include many conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Magnetic resonance imaging is a practical modality for assessing angiogenesis over time because it is already widely used clinically to assess tumor growth and for response evaluation. Ultrasound imaging is inexpensive, widely available, and completely noninvasive, therefore it is a promising technique for evaluation of angiogenesis.
