ABSTRACT
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is well suited to guide targeted breast cancer therapy by evaluating the presence or absence of specific targets, identifying resistant phenotypes, and measuring early response to treatment. Specific targeted treatment plays an increasing role in individualized breast cancer treatment, and imaging may play a role in target identification. Tumor hypoxia imaging with PET has received considerable attention and has undergone preliminary human testing for a number of tumors, including breast cancer. As the choice of breast cancer treatments expands, there will be an increasing need to measure the efficacy of treatments early in the course of treatment. The future use of PET radiopharmaceuticals other than fluorodexoyglucose will help guide and monitor breast cancer therapy by the in vivo identification of therapeutic targets and resistance factors and by determining response early in the course of therapy.
