PET and SPECT Imaging of Brain Tumors

Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2020 Dec;41(6):530-540. doi: 10.1053/j.sult.2020.08.007. Epub 2020 Sep 1.

Abstract

Neuroimaging plays a vital role in the diagnosis and post-treatment assessment of brain tumors, aiding in treatment optimization, prognostication, and patient management. New clinical treatments have resulted in increased complexity of imaging interpretation, thus integrating complementary information from multiple imaging modalities (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine) contributes to a thorough and more accurate evaluation. In review, we discuss current strategies of brain tumor imaging, specifically detailing the role of nuclear medicine single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography with utilization of both common and uncommon radiotracers in tumor grading, diagnosis, and treatment response.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / methods*