Tumor resistance and sodium/ diffusion MRI

摘要

The present invention enables a safe and noninvasive assessment of tumor resistance using one diffusion or sodium MRI scan over the entire tumor. The evaluation can be done before therapy and can help select a strategy of treatment. The invention can be used in different types of tumors in most parts of the human body. The level of tumor resistance can be determined reproducibly and quickly. The results can be used immediately to create individualized therapy. The invention allows clinicians to avoid ineffective therapies, which may be more harmful than useful, or come up with the other more appropriate alternatives.

主权项

1. A method of noninvasively evaluating resistance of a tumor to a therapeutic drug prior to any administration of said drug in order to detect changes in said resistance of said tumor to said drug prior to tumor therapy, comprising the steps of:
conducting an MRI covering a tumor region and a normal region of a subject, said MRI selected from the group consisting of a sodium MRI, a diffusion MRI, and a combination thereof, said normal region located contralateral to said tumor region on said subject; selecting first image areas resulting from said MRI on said tumor region; selecting second image areas resulting from said MRI on said normal region; analyzing a level of indicias in said tumor region and a level of said indicias in said normal region, said indicias selected from the group consisting of sodium, diffusion, and a combination thereof; and determining said resistance of said tumor based on said analysis of said first image areas and said second image areas, whereby a low level of indicias in said tumor region relative to the level of said indicias in said normal region indicates increased tumor resistance to said therapeutic drug prior to said tumor therapy or any administration of said therapeutic drug.