Imaging with special emphasis on positron emission tomography scanning for functional measurement

This paper is concerned with the use of positron emission tomography for functional imaging with an emphasis on quantification. The aim is to measure selective biological properties of a tumour and to differentiate between the tumour's biology and that of the normal surrounding tissue. The goal is to exploit these biological differences for therapeutic gain. In addition, it is of interest to measure functional changes in a tumour during a course of treatment. This might provide information on the mechanism of cure and suggest additional strategies for enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, a direct measurement of a tumour's biological function could provide an objective way to asses the efficacy of a particular treatment regime. (author)