Functional magnetic resonance imaging in oncology: state of the art.
In the investigation of tumors with conventional magnetic resonance imaging, both quantitative characteristics, such as size, edema, necrosis, and presence of metastases, and qualitative characteristics, such as contrast enhancement degree, are taken into consideration. However, changes in cell metabolism and tissue physiology which precede morphological changes cannot be detected by the conventional technique. The development of new magnetic resonance imaging techniques has enabled the functional assessment of the structures in order to obtain information on the different physiological processes of the tumor microenvironment, such as oxygenation levels, cellularity and vascularity. The detailed morphological study in association with the new functional imaging techniques allows for an appropriate approach to cancer patients, including the phases of diagnosis, staging, response evaluation and follow-up, with a positive impact on their quality of life and survival rate.
MSc and PhD Fellow, MD, Radiologist, Specialist in Chest and Oncological Imaging, Hospital Heliópolis and A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Marcos Duarte
MD
Guimaraes
MD, Radiologist, Full Member of Colégio Brasileiro de Radiologia e Diagnóstico por Imagem (CBR), Specialist in Oncological Imaging, MD, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Alice
A
Schuch
Post-PhD, MD, Associate Professor, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Bruno
B
Hochhegger
PhD, MD, Oncological Surgeon, Head of Thoracic Surgery Department, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Jefferson Luiz
JL
Gross
PhD, Head of Imaging Department, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, SP. Brazil.
Rubens
R
Chojniak
PhD, Full Professor, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, RJ, Associate Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Edson
E
Marchiori
Cancer imaging; Diffusion; Functional imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neoplasia; Oncology