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Evaluation of Cancer Therapy Using Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging¹

University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0648

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at University of Michigan School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Center for Molecular Imaging, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, University Hospital, Room B2B311, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0030. Phone: (734) 936-8866; Fax: (734) 764-2412; E-mail: tlchenev{at}umich.edu

Assessment of the effectiveness of cancer therapy traditionally relies on comparison of tumor images acquired before and after therapeutic intervention by inspection of gross anatomical images to evaluate changes in tumor size. The potential for imaging to provide additional insights related to the therapeutic impact would be enhanced if a specific parameter or combination of parameters could be identified that reflect tissue changes at the cellular or physiological level. This information could also provide a more sensitive and earlier indicator of treatment response in an individual animal or patient. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging can detect relatively small changes in tissue structure at the cellular level and thus provides an opportunity to quantitatively and serially follow therapeutic-induced changes in solid tumors. This article provides an overview of the use of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging as a surrogate marker for quantitating treatment responsiveness in both preclinical and clinical studies.