Tumor pH and Its Measurement

Studies over the last few decades have demonstrated that the intracellular pH of solid tumors is maintained within a range of 7.0-7.2, whereas the extracellular pH is acidic. A low extracellular pH may be an important factor inducing more aggressive cancer phenotypes. Research into the causes and consequences of this acidic pH of tumors is highly dependent on accurate, precise, and reproducible measurements, and these have undergone great changes in the last decade. This review focuses on the most recent advances in the in vivo measurement of tumor pH by pH-sensitive PET radiotracers, MR spectroscopy, MRI, and optical imaging.