Premium
WE‐B‐T‐6C‐01: Positron Emission Tomography for Oncologic Imaging and Treatment
Author(s) -
Bourland JD
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.1998490
Subject(s) - positron emission tomography , nuclear medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , molecular imaging , cancer , radiation therapy , medical imaging , medical physics , preclinical imaging , radiology , in vivo , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Purpose: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) provides images that show physiological and biological information through the distribution of a radioactive tracer material. Imaging of oncology patients using PET can demonstrate focal and distributed regions of cancer and its metastases. Uses of PET imaging include cancer diagnosis and especially cancer staging, such that prognosis and appropriate treatment can be rendered. Method and Materials: Fluorine‐18‐labled Fluoro‐deoxyglucose (F‐18 FDG) is the most commonly used radiolabeled agent for PET imaging. Though non‐specific in its deposition, FDG labels those regions with active glucose metabolism, such as for local cancer, metastasis, and for non‐cancer processes such as glucose use by the brain. Non‐FDG positron‐emitting agents that are highly specific in their tissue targeting can also be used, such as Fluorine‐18 Misonidazole (F‐MISO) and Carbon‐11 Methionine, to image biological processes that are important indicators of tumor biology, for instance, hypoxia (F‐MISO) and cell proliferation (Methionine). Results: PET images have relatively coarse spatial resolution compared to computed tomography and magnetic resonance images. Voxel intensity (signal strength) depends on patient and imaging study parameters — quantitative use is possible with limitations. Conclusion: This course reviews the basic physics of PET, the uses of FDG and non‐FDG PET for oncology patient imaging, and logistical and quantitative aspects for uses of PET images in the radiation treatment process. Work by others and the author demonstrates the potential contributions of FDG and non‐FDG PET imaging in the radiation oncology environment. This review course is intended for both imaging and radiation oncology physicists. Conflict of Interest: The author has research grants with Varian Medical Systems and General Electric Healthcare.