Multimodal Imaging of Tumors: Tracking Treatment Response

Medical imaging is a critical tool in oncology, but evaluating how a tumor actually responds to therapy remains a complex clinical challenge. Tumors are rarely uniform masses. Instead, they are characterized by significant intratumoral heterogeneity, meaning distinct functional zones can exhibit vastly different biological behaviors. During a course of treatment, some regions of the tumor may respond well to therapy, while adjacent regions might simultaneously develop resistance and continue to grow. Traditional imaging techniques, which often assess the tumor as a single overall entity, can easily miss these differences.

Multimodal imaging provides a framework for detecting and mapping these diverse intratumoral regions non-invasively. By integrating complementary imaging techniques such as PET and Ultrasounds, it becomes possible to segment a tumor based on its specific functional characteristics rather than just its gross anatomy. 

In this study, we explore the ability of multimodal imaging to track tumor evolution over the course of therapy and how this may allow us to recognize early signs of treatment resistance. Ultimately providing a more precise and dynamic assessment of a tumor's response to treatment.

Speaker: Javier García Muñoz. GFN and IPARCOS, Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, University Complutense of Madrid. RCCHU predoctoral fellow visiting Massachusetts General Hospital.