Imaging techniques are often called upon in oncology in virtue of their essential role in tumor diagnosis, extension work up to various organs and detection of relapse. They are also indispensable in research and in clinical practice, allowing an objective assessment of tumoral regression in patients undergoing treatment. It is currently impossible to establish the management plan of a cancer patient or to obtain follow-up of such a patient under treatment without clinical and imaging confrontation.

Introduction: Cancer, internal medicine and new imaging

1 Principles and performance of CT and MRI
CT: performance and techniques
Performance of a CT examination
Patient explanation and details
Contraindications
Patient preparation
Performance of the examination
Viewing of the images
Acquisition techniques and parameters
Scanogram or scout view
Thickness and spacing of the slices
Interstice delays
Field of view
Matrix
Filters
Continuous rotation and helical mode
Image reconstructions
MRI: performance and techniques
Performance of MRI
Types of magnet
Resistive
Superconducting
Permanent
Field strength
Coils
Types of sequence
Spin echo
Inversion recovery
Gradient echo
Opposed phase sequence (Dixon method or chemical shift)
Echoplanar imaging
Other acquisition parameters
Orientation of the scan plane
Number of acquisitions
Field of view
Acquisition matrix (NX x NY)
Slice thickness
Number of slices
Acquisition time
Gating
2 Contrast agents
Iodinated contrast agents in CT
Current data and applications in imaging
General pharmacokinetics of uro-angiographic contrast agents
Pharmacokinetics applicable to CT
Bolus injection
Injection by slow infusion
Bolus infusion
Intra-arterial injection
Other applications
Future prospects
Safety and tolerance
Iodine concentration imaging
Contrast agents in MRI
Current data and applications in imaging
Classification of MRI contrast agents
Paramagnetic agents
Superparamagnetic agents or magnetic susceptibility agents
Products containing few or no protons, such as perfluorooctylbromide
Products currently available for diagnostic clinical use
The chelates of gadolinium, markers of the extracellular space
Superparamagnetic agents
Future prospects
Tissue specific agents
Fast bolus tracking
3 Malignant intracerebral tumors
Classification of intracranial tumors
Presenting signs
Imaging of intracranial tumors: general points
CT
Findings
Differences between intra-axial and extra-axial tumors
MRI
Normal appearances
MRI contrast agents
Performance of MRI for intracranial tumors
Findings specific to MRI
Tumor localization
Supratentorial tumors
Intra-axial tumors
Gliomas
Cerebral metastases
Lymphoma
Pinealoma
Extra-axial tumors
Meningioma
Dural metastases
Congenital intracranial tumors
Tumors of the sellar region
Bony tumors
Tumors of otorhinolaryngological origin
Infratentorial tumors
Infratentorial tumors in children
Infratentorial tumors in adults
Pretreatment assessment and management
Follow-up and post-treatment appearances of intra-axial tumors
4 Tumors associated with the neurodermatoses
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromas
Neurinomas
Glial tumors
Hemispheric gliomas
Gliomas of the optic pathways
Meningo-encephalic gliosis
Gliomas of the spinal cord
Hamartomas
Meningiomas
Other lesions
Tuberous sclerosis of Bourneville
Intracerebral tumors
Subependymal nodules
Pigmented neurodermatoses
Basal cell nevomatoses (Gorlin's syndrome)
Angiomatous neurodermatoses
von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
Intracranial hemangioblastomas
Hemangioblastomas of the spinal cord
5 Tumors of the optic nerve, eye and orbit
Clinical signs
Techniques of investigation
Classification of orbital tumors
Orbital tumors in children
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Optic nerve glioma
Teratoma
Meningioma
Dermoid cyst
Meningoencephalocele
Retinoblastoma
Rare orbital tumors of childhood
Orbital tumors of adults.-Vascular tumors
Cavernous hemangioma
Orbital varices
Orbital arterio-venous fistulae
Rare vascular tumors
Meningeal or nerve tumors
Meningioma
Tumors of hematological origin
Tumors of the lacrymal gland
Rare primary orbital tumors
Secondary orbital tumors by direct spread
Secondary metastatic orbital tumors
6 Malignant sellar, parasellar and skull base tumors
Diagnosis of an anter