Imaging hypoxia and angiogenesis in tumors

There is a clear need in cancer treatment for a noninvasive imaging assay that evaluates the oxygenation status and heterogeneity of hypoxia and angiogenesis in individual patients. Such an assay could be used to select alternative treatments and to monitor the effects of treatment. Of the several methods available, each imaging procedure has at least one disadvantage. Rather than develop new and improved hypoxia agents, or even quibbling about the pros and cons of alternative agents, the nuclear medicine community needs to convince the oncology community that imaging hypoxia is an important procedure that can lead to improved treatment outcome.