In recent years, the diagnosis of tumor using modern imaging methods has been attracting more and more attention. Compared to traditional medical imaging, functional imaging focused more on the biochemical changes of the lesions and diagnoses of cancer than on the detection of indirect signs produced by growth and invasion of the tumor.

The role of functional imaging in the prediction of treatment response or prognosis of patients remains uncertain. The characteristics of functional imaging and changes of some parameters related to the treatment procedures may guide treatment decisions and assess prognosis. A thorough understanding of the application of functional imaging in tumor will contribute to the development of anticancer therapies.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Existing and new imaging agents (i.e., F-DOPA, DAT, and DAR) for detection of tumors, their (known) mechanism of action and discrimination of their status as experimental agents, investigational products in development phase, and commercial pharmaceutical products in clinical trials/routine use (i.e., microtubules as part of transportation system)
• Existing and new methodologies/protocols/imaging modalities (i.e., PET-CT, PET-MRI, CEUS, DWI, and DTI) for detecting tumors and their comparisons
• Medical clinical diagnosis or preclinical studies of tumors, the advantages and disadvantages with relevance to functional imaging (i.e., PET-CT versus PET-MRI; CEUS versus traditional US)
• The nexus between diagnosis and therapy (theranostics) including treatments, treatment responses, and survival outcomes (i.e., SUVmax, MTV, and TLG for PET-CT; ADC and b-value for PUI; time to peak for CEUS)