Dr Stephen Price

Interests

Using DTI it is possible to differentiate a zone of tumour infiltration around a zone composed purely of tumour. Our studies suggest this can predict patterns of tumour recurrence.
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My group uses advanced multimodal MR and PET imaging to understand the heterogeneity of gliomas (high and low grade) in individual patients. We know that gliomas are among the most heterogeneous tumours but still do not have a method of detecting this heterogeneity. Tissue markers cannot impact surgically based therapies. Imaging provides a non-invasive method of assessing tumour pathology.

My work focuses on two areas:

1. Intertumoural heterogeneity (i.e. differences between individuals). Especially heterogeneity of tumour invasion. Post-mortem studies show there is variation in tumour invasion with 20-25% of GBMs extend <1cm from the edge of the tumour mass, with another 20% extending >3 centimetres.

2. Intratumoural heterogeneity (i.e. differences within a tumour in an individual patient). Our work studies variation of response to chemotherapy/radiotherapy and drug uptake. We are developing [3-N-11C-methyl]-temozolomide a PET tracer to correlate response with drug uptake.

Research Focus

Keywords

Brain tumours

Magnetic resonance imaging

Tumour invasion

Biomarkers

PET imaging

Cancer sites

brain and central nervous system

Equipment

Clinical practice

Image guided biopsies

Imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Microdialysis

PET Imaging