Hypoxia occurs due to inadequate oxygen supply and greatly influences solid tumor development and resistance to treatment. The tumor microenvironment can influence how aggressive a tumor is and correlate with underlying treatment resistance. Microenvironment biomarkers like tumor pH, hypoxia, and angiogenesis have been correlated with cancer aggression and patient outcomes. PET can play a critical role in the diagnosis, treatment orientation, and subsequent management of tumors as it can provide complementary information regarding tumor metabolic properties, particularly when performed simultaneously with advanced MRI techniques.
Breast cancer is widely known for its high degree of intratumoral heterogeneity, induced by varying selective pressures from the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In-depth characterization of hypoxia-induced physiological differences between breast cancer subtypes by simultaneous multiparametric PET/MRI would greatly benefit diagnosis and treatment planning in the clinic.
The purpose of this webinar is to discuss challenges in the establishment of MRI protocols, combining, e.g., a) dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI for the assessment of intratumoral vascularization, b) hyperoxic blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI for the quantification of oxygen delivery, and c) [18F]FMISO PET, highlighting hypoxic tumor subregions.
Finally, we will demonstrate how a combined analysis of simultaneous multiparametric PET/MRI-derived imaging parameters enables the identification of spatially defined and physiologically distinct intratumoral niches within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. This characterization provides an existing novel perspective on breast cancer and opens up new targets for BC therapy.
September 26, 2024 | 04:00 PM CEST
In the context of a preclinical breast cancer model, a discussion on PET/MRI procedures and challenges to establish protocols that combine DCE and intravoxel incoherent motion for the assessment of intratumoral vascularization, hyperoxic BOLD for the quantification of oxygen delivery and [18F]FMISO PET.
This webinar will be of interest to multiple profiles in the community of biomedical research especially those applying medical imaging techniques in their work. Clinicians, researchers, PhD students, and postdocs as well as laboratory technicians will find this webinar relevant.