Multimodal Imaging in Neuro-Oncology: Advances in Nuclear Medicine and MRI for Precision Diagnostics and Therapy

The complexity and heterogeneity of brain tumors (particularly gliomas, meningiomas, and metastases) require imaging strategies that move beyond structural assessment. Molecular imaging with PET/SPECT enables the in vivo analysis of tumor metabolism, receptor expression, and microenvironmental features. Moreover advanced MRI techniques provide functional, perfusional, and microstructural insights. The convergence of these modalities offers a noninvasive window into the biological and structural characteristics of intracranial neoplasms, supporting improved diagnostic precision and individualized care.

The emergence of hybrid PET/MRI, quantitative imaging biomarkers, and AI-based analytics in particular enhances the precision of neuro-oncologic imaging and its relevance for personalized medicine.

This Research Topic seeks to define the role of multimodal imaging as a key enabler of precision medicine in neuro-oncology. The goal is to investigate how Nuclear Medicine techniques and advanced MRI can deliver reliable and reproducible biomarkers for:

• Non-invasive diagnosis and tumor stratification;

• Preoperative and radiotherapy planning;

• Monitoring of disease evolution;

• Quantitative assessment of treatment response.

Through the collection of clinical and translational evidence, we aim to highlight the impact of integrated imaging in optimizing patient-specific diagnostic and therapeutic pathways.

This Research Topic aims to collect high-impact original research, technical reports, and reviews that explore how multimodal imaging can support precision diagnosis and therapy planning in brain tumors. Submissions addressing quantitative imaging, molecular imaging tracers, radiomic signatures, and image-guided decision-making are particularly encouraged.

By integrating data from nuclear medicine and MRI modalities, and by leveraging artificial intelligence and radiomics, contributors can provide insight into how imaging contributes to clinical workflows and supports the translation of biological information into actionable treatment pathways.

We invite contributions in the following areas:

• Diagnostic accuracy of PET and advanced MRI in brain tumors;

• Imaging biomarkers for tumor grading and molecular profiling;

• SWI/ITSS and diffusion-based metrics as non-invasive correlates of tumor biology;

• PET/MRI fusion and multimodal co-registration for planning and monitoring;

• Radiomics and AI-driven prediction models in neuro-oncology;

• Integration of imaging into precision diagnostic and therapeutic workflows;

• Translational studies on imaging-guided therapy optimization;

• Theragnostic

This Research Topic accepts all article types in scope with the Journal section of Nuclear Medicine and the topic.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Neuro-Oncology, Precision Medicine, PET, Advanced MRI, Molecular Imaging, Diagnosis, Theragnostic, Therapy Guidance, Imaging Biomarkers, Brain Tumors, Radiomics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.