ABSTRACT
Key points 283 Bibliography 283 Further reading 286
Molecular imaging, also referred to as biological imaging or functional imaging, is the use of noninvasive imaging techniques that enable the visualization of various biological pathways and physiological characteristics of tumours and/or normal tissues. In short, it mainly refers (but not only) to positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In clinical oncology, molecular imaging offers a unique opportunity to allow an earlier diagnosis and staging of the disease, to contribute to the selection and delineation of the optimal target volumes for radiotherapy and, to a lesser extent, for surgery, to evaluate the response early in the treatment or after its completion, and to help in the early detection of recurrence (Fig. 20.1). From the viewpoint of experimental oncology, molecular imaging may also facilitate and speed up the process of drug development by allowing faster and cheaper pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies.
