Metabolic Imaging of Brain Tumor Recurrence.

Abstract

<b>OBJECTIVE.</b> Diagnosing brain tumor recurrence, especially with changes that occur after treatment, is a challenge. MRI has an exceptional structural resolution, which is important from the perspective of treatment planning. However, its reliability in diagnosing recurrence is relatively lower, when compared to metabolic imaging. The latter is more sensitive to the early changes associated with recurrence and relatively immune to confounding by treatment related changes. <b>CONCLUSION.</b> There is no one-stop shop for the diagnosis of recurrence in brain tumors. The sensitivity of metabolic imaging is not a substitute for the resolution of the MRI, making a multi-modal approach the only way forward.