Frontiers in Medicine (Feb 2023)

Advances in PET and MRI imaging of tumor hypoxia

  • Pierrick Gouel,
  • Pierrick Gouel,
  • Pierre Decazes,
  • Pierre Decazes,
  • Pierre Vera,
  • Pierre Vera,
  • Isabelle Gardin,
  • Isabelle Gardin,
  • Sébastien Thureau,
  • Sébastien Thureau,
  • Pierre Bohn,
  • Pierre Bohn

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1055062
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Tumor hypoxia is a complex and evolving phenomenon both in time and space. Molecular imaging allows to approach these variations, but the tracers used have their own limitations. PET imaging has the disadvantage of low resolution and must take into account molecular biodistribution, but has the advantage of high targeting accuracy. The relationship between the signal in MRI imaging and oxygen is complex but hopefully it would lead to the detection of truly oxygen-depleted tissue. Different ways of imaging hypoxia are discussed in this review, with nuclear medicine tracers such as [18F]-FMISO, [18F]-FAZA, or [64Cu]-ATSM but also with MRI techniques such as perfusion imaging, diffusion MRI or oxygen-enhanced MRI. Hypoxia is a pejorative factor regarding aggressiveness, tumor dissemination and resistance to treatments. Therefore, having accurate tools is particularly important.

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