Bone Imaging in Oncology

Dear Colleagues

It is well known that bones are one of the frequent sites for metastatic spread from a large number of solid cancer types. Bone metastases are particularly seen in common cancers such as prostate cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer. The presence of bone metastases alters the treatment strategy at primary staging of patients but also at time of recurrence. Imaging of bone metastases is of paramount importance because the presence of bone metastases changes treatment strategy and prognosis.

The clinical entity oligo-metastatic disease has been extensively debated, and in some cancer types the use of metastases-directed therapy has gained wide acceptance. However, the definition of oligo-metastatic disease is ambiguous and depends upon the diagnostic characteristics of the imaging modality used.

In the past several decades, the use of CT, X-ray, and bone scintigraphy have been dominating the diagnostic armamentarium, but with the technical developments in MRI, e.g., with diffusion weighted images and in PET/CT with FDG and newer specific tracers such as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in prostate cancer and fluoroestradiol (FES) in breast cancer, the landscape of imaging has changed. The use of newer imaging modalities holds promise of a more accurate diagnostic accuracy; this has also been documented in several prospective studies. The diagnostic superiority has not (yet) been transferred into improved patient-related outcomes in terms of improved survival or quality of life, but the modern imaging modalities also offer opportunities for quantitative analysis of bone lesions with improved prognostic values.

This Special Issue of “Bone Imaging in Oncology” stipulates an up to date view of the advances made towards the imaging of bone metastases in oncology. It includes all fields within bone metastases and all imaging modalities that can be used in staging, recurrent disease, and for response assessment. Likewise, comparative studies with other biomarkers, health care analyses, and studies regarding improved prognostic values are included too.

Assoc. Prof. Helle D. Zacho
Guest Editor

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