PET/CT 

The Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2006 March;50(1):4-14

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

PET/CT and radiotherapy

Messa C. ^{1, 2, 3}, Di Muzio N. ⁴, Picchio M. ⁵, Gilardi M. C. ^{1, 2, 5}, Bettinardi V. ⁵, Fazio F. ^{1, 2, 4, 5}

¹ Center of Molecular Bioimaging University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy 2 Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology (IBFM) CNR, Milan, Italy 3 Department of Nuclear Medicine H. S. Gerardo, Monza, Italy 4 Department of Radiation Oncology San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy 5 Department of Nuclear Medicine San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy

This article reviews the state of the art of PET/CT applications in radiotherapy, specifically its use in disease staging, patient selection, treatment planning and treatment evaluation. Diseases for which radiotherapy with radical intent is indicated will be considered, as well as those in which PET/CT may actually change the course of disease. The methodological and technological aspects of PET/CT in radiotherapy are discussed, focusing on the problem of target volume definition with CT and PET functional imaging and the problem of tumor motion with respect to imaging and dose delivery.