Medical Physics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Medical Physics, including details on medicine, radiotherapy, biomechanics, medical imaging.

One-stop-shop tumor imaging: buy hypoxia, get lactate free.

Manzoor AA, Schroeder T, Dewhirst MW

Department of Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

The ability to noninvasively assess physiological changes in solid tumors is desired for its diagnostic and therapeutic potential. In this issue of JCI, Matsumoto and colleagues reveal their development and use of a novel imaging approach, combining pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) with conventional MRI to image squamous cell carcinoma tumor-bearing mice (See the related article beginning on page 1965). This method provides coregistered images of oxygenation and blood volume/flow with the underlying anatomy and concentrations of metabolites such as lactate and choline. This technique, combining functional and anatomic imaging, shows immediate preclinical applicability in monitoring factors that control tumor hypoxia and metabolism and may have future clinical potential for monitoring tumor response to treatment.

Published 2 May 2008 in J Clin Invest, 118(5): 1616-9.
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