Academic radiation oncology: molecular imaging/radiobiology
The aim of the Molecular Imaging/ Radiobiology programme is to investigate and develop positron emission tomography (PET) as a tool for obtaining biological data in patients undergoing radiotherapy. By evaluating biological data obtained using non-invasive imaging, we will be able to increase our understanding of the radiobiology of both tumour and normal tissue and develop rational strategies for improving and optimising radiotherapy delivery.
PET is a powerful nuclear medicine imaging tool which quantitates the changing activity of radiotracers within anatomical areas of interest defined by conventional cross-sectional imaging. This is a non-invasive technique.
Blood flow, blood volume, proliferation, metabolism, apoptosis, hypoxia and drug concentrations can all be imaged by PET. They are closely interrelated, but these relationships are not simple, and may depend on tumour size, tumour type, and method of measurement. The ability to measure these biological parameters offers a means to predict response of cancer following treatment, and may allow modification of further treatments accordingly. This is an evolving area of clinical research, and has application to both anti-cancer drug development and radiotherapy.
Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre
The Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre is a multidisciplinary PET research centre, which aims to lead UK development of PET methodology. A new PET-CT scanner has recently been commissioned. This scanner will be invaluable in assessment of patients with cancer prior to and following therapy, and blood flow analysis forms an important area which can be studied.
Group studies
Pancreatic Cancer Functional Imaging Translational (PACER-FIT) study
This study will use a subset of patients from a larger study (PACER) which aims to demonstrate the response rate (using RECIST criteria) of cetuximab plus radiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients.
The primary aims of PACER-FIT are to assess the value of FDG-PET as a pharmacodynamic marker of tumour response, assess the value of FDG-PET as a prognostic marker, and evaluate changes in tumour perfusion with cetuximab/radiotherapy.
Head and neck cancer study
The aim of this project is to measure tumour blood flow and volume, using PET and to determine if there is a relationship between these and oxygen levels measured by oxygen electrodes, and by the immunohistochemical expression in tumours of the hypoxia marker pimonidazole.
Secondary aims are to identify PET markers which correlate with response to treatment, and to explore the possibility of defining regions of interest in metabolically active tumour areas.
Blood flow study
The aim of this project is to measure tumour blood flow and volume using PET in 12 patients with cancers, to establish optimum operating conditions for the new PET-CT scanner. We also aim to calculate the lowest dose of radiation which we can administer to patients.
This information will also have application for other centres wanting to optimise their PET methodology.
Similar work has been done on older PET cameras and for brain scanning, as opposed to scanning elsewhere in the body. The improvement in count rate performance of the new generation of PET cameras will mean that better quality data is possible, and to our knowledge this has not been studied for radiolabelled water and carbon monoxide.
Other studies
Information on other studies is available on request, see: Contact us