ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors examine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) with regard to molecular imaging as applied to individualized breast cancer management; it is not intended to be a comprehensive review of molecular imaging methods. The possibility of using MRI molecular imaging capabilities for directing therapy is being explored, including the detection of reporter gene transcription, the use of MRI tissue thermometry to guide therapeutic ultrasound for noninvasive tumor ablation, and the use of functional brain MRI to plan the surgical resection of tumors, including metastases to the brain. Gene therapy approaches have been considered for the management of breast cancer, such as ablation of oncogenic products, restoration of ER expression, and alteration of genes that are involved in apoptosis. Reporter genes have been used to study promoter or regulatory elements involved in gene expression conventionally studied by tissue biopsy and immunohistochemistry.
