Radiological Approach for Pediatric Oncology

Abstract

Childhood cancers are very rare and differ from adult cancers in the way they grow and spread. Therefore treatment strategies should be established by nation-wide multi-center trials. The Japan Children’s Cancer Group (JCCG) was founded to research how they are treated.

The radiologists of each institution may have very few chances to diagnosis and treat childhood cancers; therefore JCCG have introduced the Central Radiological Diagnosis System in which specialized radiologists can discuss the diagnosis of childhood cancer via the internet.

Radiology plays critical roles in cancer diagnosis and treatment in the various points during the treatment of pediatric cancer; not only the diagnosis of the tumor but clinical staging is important to select the protocol for treatment. After chemotherapy, evaluation of the effects of anti-cancer drugs is necessary. Before tumor resection, imaging studies provide various critical information to the surgeon to perform the operation. Therefore close interaction between the radiologists and pediatric oncologists, surgeon and pathologists is important in the treatment of pediatric cancers.