PET as a potential tool for imaging molecular mechanisms of oncology in man.

During the past ten years, positron emission tomography (PET) has been increasingly developed for imaging and quantifying molecular mechanisms in oncology. The technique uses radionuclides to label molecules, which can then be imaged in man. The inherent sensitivity and specificity of PET is unrivalled because it can image molecular interactions and pathways, providing quantitative kinetic information down to the subpicomolar level. This technology has the potential to answer a large number of important clinical questions in translational research in oncology. However, the challenges in the methodology are substantial. Molecular imaging has the potential to assist in the optimization of molecular-based targeted therapies in cancer and to investigate the function of the genome.