Egesta Lopci – författare

This atlas is a concise but comprehensive guide to the diverse patterns of response to immunotherapy as observed on Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) and other conventional imaging modalities, including CT and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The purpose for this publication is to fill the gap between the growing clinical relevance and utilization of immunotherapy in medical oncology, mainly based on checkpoint inhibitors, and the need for experienced imagers with reliable tools assessing response to treatment. A series of disease-oriented chapters will present the imaging findings during immunotherapy in the major oncological settings, with helpful comparison of functional (PET/CT) and morphological (CT/MRI) patterns of response in individual cases. To complete the atlas, a dedicated chapter will focus on major pitfalls and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) affecting image interpretation during the course of immunotherapy. The concluding chapter will lastly examine the available data and potential developments of immuno-PET, which is considered as the novel frontier of research in this oncological scenario. The atlas will be of high value for radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists at all levels of experience.

This book covers all diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of neuro-oncological diseases. In the last decade, the management of brain tumors has been revolutionized following the new WHO classification and thanks to the introduction of molecular markers into the clinical routine. From an imaging point of view, the continuous technological developments and the implementation of various radiopharmaceuticals have paved the way to new clinical indications and has helped optimize patient management. In this context, a major breakthrough could derive from the introduction of radiomics and artificial intelligence in the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway. Not forgetting the emerging role of heavy-ion therapy as a complement to the innovative drugs and treatments adopted in medical oncology and radiation therapy.

In the present book, all above-mentioned aspects are covered, starting with the novel standards for the WHO classification of brain tumors, to the up-to-date surgical techniques and advanced therapeutic approaches, passing through the currently available imaging modalities and ongoing developments embracing both radiology and nuclear medicine discipline. Imaging represents indeed the “trait d''union” for all the arguments described in the book; therefore, in most chapters there are dedicated sessions focused on the role of imaging in each specific context.

The publication aims to fill the gap between the clinicians and all professionals directly involved in the management of patients with brain tumors and the newest scientific outreach. Moreover, thanks to the comprehensive insight into the latest technological developments, scientists and researchers interested in the topic will find the book a useful tool for future studies and perspective discoveries.