Perspectives of molecular imaging and radioimmunotherapy in lymphoma

Successful treatment of Hodgkin lymphomas and non-Hodgkin lymphomas depends on accurate staging and prognostic estimations, as well as evaluation of response to therapy as early after initiation as possible. We focus on several aspects of molecular imaging and therapy that affect the management of patients who have lymphoma. First, we review prior use of gallium-67 citrate for evaluation of lymphoma patients, mainly from a historical perspective, since it was the mainstream lymphoma functional imaging tracer for decades. Next, we review current clinical uses of 18F Fluoro-2-Deoxyglucose (18F FDG) PET and PET/CT for evaluation of lymphoma patients and use of radioimmunotherapy in lymphoma. Finally, we discuss advances in molecular imaging that may herald the next generation of PET radiotracers after 18F FDG.