Quantitative imaging biomarkers in nuclear medicine: from SUV to image mining studies. Highlights from annals of nuclear medicine 2018

Objective: Quantification in medical imaging is one of the main goals in research and clinical practice since it allows immediate understanding, objective communication, and comparison. Our aim was to summarize relevant investigations on quantification in nuclear medicine studies published in the volume 32 of Annals of Nuclear Medicine. Methods: In this article, we summarized the data of 14 selected papers from international research groups that were published between January and December 2018. This is a descriptive review with an inherently subjective selection of articles. Results: We discussed the role of parameters ranging from standardized uptake value to ratios, to flow within a region of interest, to volumetric parameters and to texture indices in different clinical scenarios in oncology, cardiology, and neurology. Conclusions: In all the medical disciplines in which nuclear medicine examinations play a role, quantification is essential both in research and in clinical practice. Standardization and high-quality protocols are crucial for the success and reliability of imaging biomarkers.