Neuroimaging Issues in Assessing Response to Brain Tumor Therapy

Magnetic resonance imaging is an indispensable tool for both day-to-day management of brain tumor patients and neuro-oncology clinical trails. While recognizing the value of neuroimaging, there are a number of technical difficulties in the serial measurement of brain tumors, as well as uncertainties about the meaning of the information obtained. In this chapter, we first discuss the imaging appearance and behavior of common adult primary brain tumors. We then review various methods in practice used for the measurement and classification of response to treatment or progression of disease. Finally, we explore the challenges of using imaging as a surrogate measure of pathology.