科學家最近報道，對晚期乳腺癌化療的效率能夠通過使用正電子發射體層成像（PET）來進行早期評估，而不是使用使用其它當前使用的影像學檢查方法。

在治療基線期和治療進行PET掃描，能夠“在第一療程化療的早期即可預測治療反應”，Norbert Avril醫生如此評論說，他是美國匹茲堡大學醫學中心核醫學主任。

根據Arvil醫生的說法，傳統的影像學檢查技術，例如計算機斷層掃描（CT）、核磁共振（MRI）、平面薄膜放射學檢查、以及超聲波檢查，都不能夠在治療早期精確預測治療反應。化療通常用于延長生存時間和改善生活治療。他說在治療早期鑒別出那些對化療無反應的患者十分必要，因為可以“避免無效治療以及無必要的副作用“。

Arvil醫生在這項研究中報道說，個體化治療能夠為患者和醫生提供以前所無法提供的選擇。這項研究發表在2005年7月期的《核醫學期刊》之上。
 
Assessing Therapy in Advanced Breast Cancer
 
Scientists recently reported that the effectiveness of chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer can be assessed earlier by utilizing positron emission tomography (PET) scanning rather than other current imaging modalities.

PET scanning performed at baseline and after treatment is initiated “allowed prediction of response as early as after the first cycle of chemotherapy,” said Dr. Norbert Avril, chief of nuclear medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (PA, USA).

Traditional imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), plain film radiography, and ultrasound, do not accurately predict therapy response early in the course of treatment, according to Dr. Arvil. Chemotherapy is usually used to improve survival and quality of life. He said it is necessary to identify early those individuals who do not respond to chemotherapy “to avoid ineffective therapies and unnecessary side effects.”

Dr. Arvil reported in the study that the ability to customize treatment provides patients and clinicians with options not previously available. The study was published in the July 2005 issue of Journal of Nuclear Medicine.