DOI: 10.1097/RLI.0b013e3182426015

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PMID: 22178892

Issn Print: 0020-9996

Publication Date: 2012/01/01


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Functional Computed Tomography Imaging

Christian Fink; Gunnar Brix; Sandra Simon Halliburton; Sebastian Schindera; Vicky Goh

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Excerpt

After conventional x-ray and ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) is currently the most frequently performed imaging test in clinical medicine. Based on ever increasing examination numbers and its ability to provide high anatomic resolution imaging, CT is considered the “workhorse” of clinical radiology. However, despite continual technical advancements, CT is often considered inferior compared with MRI, particularly with regard to its functional imaging capabilities. Clinical radiology is increasingly confronted with clinicians’ demands for quantitative information to better characterize and stratify disease, or to evaluate treatment response. One example is oncology, where new targeted anticancer therapies have lead to substantially different response patterns to those observed with standard chemotherapy. In this scenario, functional imaging methods complement size-based response criteria (ie, RECIST) to improve therapy response assessment.
This special issue of Investigative Radiology has been dedicated to the most recent research in the field of functional CT imaging, with a specific emphasize on oncologic and vascular applications. While the principles of functional CT techniques such as perfusion CT imaging have remained similar over the past 30 years, recent technical developments have allowed a much broader and reliable clinical implementation, eg, to extracranial body regions. Similarly dual energy CT, conceived long ago, has only just been clinically implemented, offering improved visualization and additional functional information for diagnosis, characterization and response assessment.
The actuality of this special issue was reflected by a very high number of submissions, necessitating a highly competitive review process and a high rejection rate. As a result, the reader will find 13 high quality studies on functional CT imaging for oncologic and cardiovascular applications.
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