Advances in neuroimaging techniques for the evaluation of tumor growth, vascular permeability, and angiogenesis in gliomas

Purpose of review This review will summarize new neuroimaging techniques, particularly MRI and PET imaging, that can be used to assess brain tumor growth and angiogenesis. Recent findings Glioma tumor vasculature is abnormal, and advances in MRI now permit visualization of the hemodynamic properties of gliomas including cerebral blood volume and blood flow, vascular permeability, and blood vessel diameter. New radiolabeled PET tracers have allowed more specific interrogation of glioma physiology such as hypoxia assessment or tumor proliferation rate. These two techniques are complementary and will likely yield important information on tumor response to therapy, particularly in the setting of antiangiogenic agents, which confound the interpretation of standard contrast-enhanced MRI scans. Summary These techniques may allow development of patient-specific therapy to improve outcome in patients with gliomas.