Value of 18F-FDG PET/MRI in the early evaluation of treatment response following radiofrequency ablation of liver cancer in a rabbit model

PET Imaging and Key Radiotracers for Evaluating Response to Locoregional Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Locoregional therapies (LRTs) play a considerable role in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially for patients who are not suitable for radical resection or transplantation. In clinical practice, assessment of LRTs is mainly based on computed tomography and MR imaging, but functional and metabolic information is less accessible. This article reviews the use of various the standardized uptake value parameters based on PET and multiple radiotracers for managing HCC after treatment with different LRTs, as well as parts of preclinical research. It discusses the current use of PET in more detail, as well as its advantages, disadvantages, and prospects.

The use of PET/MRI in radiotherapy

Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) is a hybrid imaging technique that quantitatively combines the metabolic and functional data from positron emission tomography (PET) with anatomical and physiological information from MRI. As PET/MRI technology has advanced, its applications in cancer care have expanded. Recent studies have demonstrated that PET/MRI provides unique advantages in the field of radiotherapy and has become invaluable in guiding precision radiotherapy techniques. This review discusses the rationale and clinical evidence supporting the use of PET/MRI for radiation positioning, target delineation, efficacy evaluation, and patient surveillance.Critical relevance statement This article critically assesses the transformative role of PET/MRI in advancing precision radiotherapy, providing essential insights into improved radiation positioning, target delineation, efficacy evaluation, and patient surveillance in clinical radiology practice.Key points• The emergence of PET/MRI will be a key bridge for precise radiotherapy.• PET/MRI has unique advantages in the whole process of radiotherapy.• New tracers and nanoparticle probes will broaden the use of PET/MRI in radiation.• PET/MRI will be utilized more frequently for radiotherapy.