Magnetic resonance imaging of brain tumors- time to quantify.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides essential information on anatomical location and morphology for diagnosis, therapy planning, and treatment evaluation in brain tumors, but lacks biological specificity. "Advanced" quantitative MRI methods yield additional metabolic and physiological indices relevant to tumor growth, vasculature, and ultrastructure; these improve lesion characterization and delineation, and provide potential biomarkers of treatment susceptibility and response. Validation and standardization of relevant parameters is required for use across multiple centers for large scale clinical trials of novel therapeutic regimens and to guide clinical management of individual patients.