PET in the diagnosis and management of patients with brain metastasis: Current role and future perspectives

Issue title: Metastasis Imaging: Current Concepts and Future Challenges

Guest editors: Christina Messiou and Nandita M. de Souza

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Waerzeggers, Yannic^{a; b} | Rahbar, Kambiz^c | Riemann, Burkhard^c | Weckesser, Matthias^{c; h} | Schäfers, Michael^{b; c} | Hesselmann, Volker^{d; h} | Niederstadt, Thomas^{d; h} | Willich, Normann^{e; h} | Stummer, Walter^{f; h} | Paulus, Werner^{g; h} | Schober, Otmar^{b; c} | Jacobs, Andreas H.^{a; b; c; h; *}

Affiliations: [a] Laboratory for Gene Therapy and Molecular Imaging at the Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research with Klaus-Joachim-Zülch Laboratories of the Max Planck Society and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany | [b] European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany | [c] Department of Nuclear Medicine, Westfälische Wilhelms-University (WWU), Münster, Germany | [d] Department of Radiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University (WWU), Münster, Germany | [e] Department of Radiation Therapy, Westfälische Wilhelms-University (WWU), Münster, Germany | [f] Department of Neurosurgery, Westfälische Wilhelms-University (WWU), Münster, Germany | [g] Department of Neuropathology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University (WWU), Münster, Germany | [h] Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurooncology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University (WWU), Münster, Germany | Cancer Research UK Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research Group, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Univ.-Prof. Dr. A.H. Jacobs, MD, European Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of Münster, Germany. Tel.: +49 251 83 49300; Fax: +49 251 83 49313; E-mail: ahjacobs@uni-muenster.de.

Abstract: Systemic cancer is the second most common cause of death in developed countries and metastatic brain tumour the most common tumour of the central nervous system (CNS). As the incidence of brain metastases appears to be rising, more accurate non-invasive imaging modalities for diagnosis, prognosis, prediction and follow-up of treatment are requisites for efficient patient management. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has the ability to evaluate different aspects of tumour microenvironment on the molecular and cellular level and impact the workup of patients with brain metastasis. This article reviews the current application of PET imaging in patients with metastatic brain disease.

Keywords: PET, brain metastasis, diagnosis, therapy monitoring

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-2010-0200

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 7, no. 4-5, pp. 219-233, 2010