Ron Allison (The Brody School of Medicine, USA) stated: "Imagine a tumour lighting up for the surgeon to see.

"Imagine the oncologist able to precisely track and treat a cancer while it moves during an actual radiation therapy session.

Imagine what the future of Oncologic intervention will mean to patients and caregivers when these types of imaging techniques become widespread.

This issue of the Journal highlights current and future Image guided interventions in oncology.

Truly, it appears that imaging and imagination go hand in hand."

Highlights from this issue include a variety of review articles discussing a range of techniques and cancers including fluorescence and intra-operative image guided neurosurgery, and optical imaging for gastrointestinal surgery; a special report investigating the importance of image guided surgery such as the use of photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy in endometrial and cervical cancer; and an editorial that highlights recent advances in radiotherapy, and examines what needs to be done in order to generate personalised, image-directed radiotherapy approaches that are available to all patients.

Rachel Jenkins, commissioning editor for Future Oncology commented: "We are delighted to publish this special focus issue which aims to highlight the vast progress made in several areas of image-guided cancer therapies.

This issue will hopefully provide a platform for researchers and clinicians to discuss these developments in their respective specialist fields."

Source: Future Science Group