General Medicine

Diagnostic imaging has exploited advances in technology and computation to provide greater insight into physiological structure and function for medical applications. Recent advances in imaging

facilitate tumor localization and mapping of function by noninvasive techniques and are becoming important in preoperative assessment for tumors. Tumours usually remain localized, and are potentially curable with local radiation. The steep radiation dose-response relationships support the strategies of radiation dose escalation to increase local control. MRI has enhanced soft tissue delineation, but has to be fused with CT to allow dose calculation. Functional imaging using dynamic contrast enhanced CT or MRI sequences may allow improved knowledge of tumour function. Positron emission tomography (PET) may allow further physiological information to be determined. Before adopting new radiological techniques, we also need to examine the evidence for benefit, taking into account the impact on clinical outcomes, health economics, and radiation protection issues