Biological Imaging in Otorhinolaryngology

Abstract

M odern clinical cancer treatments require precise positional information. Where is the tumor located? How large is it? Is it confined, or has it spread to lymph nodes? Does it involve any critical anatomical structures that would alter the treatment strategy? These questions are being answered, at ever increasing spatial resolution, through the application of traditional anatomical imaging methods such as computed x-ray tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging) MRI). Although these methods still represent the mainstay of clinical imaging, it has become clear that the acquisition of molecular and physiological information by nuclear magnetic resonance and optical imaging technologies could vastly enhance our ability to fight cancer. Emerging genomic and proteomic technologies have the potential to transform the way in which cancer is clinically managed. Molecular imaging is poised to play a central role in this transformation, because it will allow the integration of molecular and physiological information specific to each patient with anatomical information obtained by conventional imaging methods. Combined PET/CT represents a very unique imaging modality that scans the whole body in the same session, providing functional and anatomic information in co-registered images. It combines the high sensitivity of PET to the superior anatomical localization by CT resulting in much more accurate detection and staging of malignancies. It also provides a better quality PET images due to better attenuation correction by CT scan in a relatively short time.