PET/CT对981例肺结节的良恶性诊断价值分析

目的 探讨健康体检PET/CT对恶性肺结节的诊断意义,通过18F-脱氧葡萄糖(18F-FDG)高代谢灶摄取度判定肺部恶性肿瘤的价值.方法 回顾性分析981例肺结节患者的病例资料,包括良性肺结节966例,恶性肺结节15例.比较良恶性结节间病灶最大标准摄取值(SUVmax)之间的差异.结果 SUVmax≥2.5为PET/CT诊断恶性肿瘤的重要参考指标,PET/CT诊断灵敏度、特异度、准确度、阳性预测值及阴性预测值分别为86.7%(13/15)、99.4%(960/966)、99.2%(973/981)、68.4%(13/19)、99.8%(960/962).良性肺结节患者检查结果显示SUVmax为0~6.5,中位数为0.7,其中被误诊为恶性肺结节的患者分别是4例良性GGN经病理证实为坏死性肉芽肿(3例)/机化性肺炎(1例)、2例良性结节经病理证实为肺炎(1例)/纤维组织增生(1例);恶性肺结节患者检查结果显示SUVmax为0.8~16.3,中位数为4.7,其中恶性肺结节患者中2例肺泡癌患者漏诊.结论 18F-FDG PET/CT在筛 查肺部结节良、恶性诊断中有重要意义,SUVmax 对良、恶性程度的判断有指导意义.     

基线18F-FDG PET/CT显像在滤泡性淋巴瘤分布、分级和分期中的价值

目的:总结滤泡性淋巴瘤（follicular lymphoma,FL）基线18F-FDG PET/CT显像特点并探讨基线18F-FDG PET/CT显像不同代谢参数在FL分布、分级、分期中的价值。方法:回顾性分析2014年01月至2022年12月进行基线18F-FDG PET/CT检查的经病理证实的FL患者56例,对其基线18F-FDG PET/CT显像受累病灶的部位、密度及最大径进行总结分析;应用独立样本t检验比较FL低级别组（1、2级）、高级别组（3a、3b级）与Ki-67、SUVmax、TBR和Dmax间的关系;分析FL局限期组（Ⅰ、Ⅱ期）与播散期组（Ⅲ、Ⅳ期）间SUVmax、TBR的差异。结果:基线18F-FDG PET/CT显像最高代谢病灶最常见的好发部位是腹部和颈部淋巴结,多表现为腹部和颈部多发高代谢肿大淋巴结,密度均匀,较大者融合成团。高、低级别组Ki-67指数间差异有统计学意义（t=4.621,P＜0.05）,利用ROC曲线进行分析,Ki-67指数临界值为35%;高、低级别组间SUVmax、TBR差异有统计学意义（t=2.481、t=2.514,P＜0.05）,ROC曲线临界值分别为12.3、4.7,Dmax差异无统计学意义（t=1.380,P＞0.05）。局限期组与播散期组的SUVmax、TBR无统计学差异（t=0.534、1.212,P＞0.05）。结论:FL基线18F-FDG PET/CT显像多表现为腹部和颈部多发肿大淋巴结,密度均匀且融合成团,代谢活性不同程度增高,基线18F-FDG PET/CT能有效评估FL患者分级并能够准确分期,代谢参数SUVmax、TBR越高,分级越高,但其与分期间无明显关联。     

Role of pre-transplant 18F-FDG PET/CT in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation

The last two decades have seen a paradigm shift in the selection of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for liver transplantation. Microvascular invasion and differentiation have been the most significant factors affecting post-transplant recurrence; however, because of inherent disadvantages of pre-transplant biopsy, histological criteria never gained popularity. Recently, the selection criteria evolved from morphological to biological criteria, such as biomarkers and response to loco-regional therapy. With the introduction of multimodality imaging, combination of computed tomography with nuclear medicine imaging, particularly, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography fulfilled an unmet need and rapidly became a critical component of HCC management. This review article will focus on the use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography in the pre-transplant evaluation of HCC patients with special discussion on its ability to predict HCC recurrence after liver transplantation.     

Detection of Recurrent Cervical Cancer by Whole-body FDG PET Scans

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of whole-body{ 18 F}fluro-2-dexoxyglucose(FDG)positron emission tomography(PET)scans in the detection of recurrent cervical cancer. METHODS Between June,2000 and January,2006,25 patients had undergone a PET scan at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital to evaluate possible recurrent cervical cancer.All the PET findings were reviewed and compared to available clinical data to classify each PET scan result as a true positive,true negative,false positive,or false negative. RESULTS A total of 38 PET scans were conducted on the 25 patients whose median age was 46 years.The Stage distributions were IA(n=1),IB(n=11),IIA(n=5),IIB(n=4),IIIB(n=2),IVB(n =1),and unknown Stage(n=1).There were 22 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 3 cases of adenocarcinoma resulting in 9 true positive PET scans,27 true negatives,2 false positives and no false negatives.The sensitivity of the FDG PET scans for detecting recurrent cervical cancer was 100%,specificity 93.1%,positive predictive value 81.8%,and negative predictive value 100%. CONCLUSION The whole body FDG PET scans are a sensitive and specific imaging modality for the detection of recurrent cervical cancer.However the cost of PET scans is too high at this time.A large prospective study will determine whether this modality should be used routinely and take the place of other imaging methods in the early detection of recurrent cervical carcinoma     

Effectiveness of Breast MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT for the Preoperative Staging of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma versus Ductal Carcinoma

Purpose

We evaluated the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) for the preoperative staging of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) of the breast and compared the results with those of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

Methods

The study included pathologically proven 32 ILCs and 73 IDCs. We compared clinical and histopathological characteristics and the diagnostic performances of MRI and ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT for the primary mass, additional ipsilateral and/or contralateral lesion(s), and axillary lymph node metastasis between the ILC and IDC groups.

Results

Primary ILCs were greater in size, but demonstrated lower maximum standardized uptake values than IDCs. All primary masses were detected on MRI. The detection rate for ILCs (75.0%) was lower than that for IDCs (83.6%) on ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT, but the difference was not significant. For additional ipsilateral lesion(s), the sensitivities and specificities of MRI were 87.5% and 58.3% for ILC and 100.0% and 66.7% for IDC, respectively; whereas the sensitivities and specificities of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT were 0% and 91.7% for ILC and 37.5% and 94.7% for IDC, respectively. The sensitivity of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT for ipsilateral lesion(s) was significantly lower in the ILC group than the IDC group. The sensitivity for ipsilateral lesion(s) was significantly higher with MRI; however, specificity was higher with ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in both tumor groups. There was no significant difference in the diagnostic performance for additional contralateral lesion(s) or axillary lymph node metastasis on MRI or ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT for ILC versus IDC.

Conclusion

The MRI and ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT detection rates for the primary cancer do not differ between the ILC and IDC groups. Although ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT demonstrates lower sensitivity for primary and additional ipsilateral lesions, it shows higher specificity for additional ipsilateral lesions, and could play a complementary role in the staging of ILC as well as IDC.     

Utility of FDG PET in patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity

Background

The utility of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in oral cavity cancer has received little attention in a clinician's perspective. We systematically evaluated the clinical roles of FDG PET in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).

Methods

Between August 2001 and February 2005, 82 new patients with resectable oral cavity SCCs underwent CT/MRI and FDG PET at initial staging and follow-up. The sensitivity and specificity of CT/MRI and FDG PET for neck metastases were compared with histopathologic reference of 67 patients who underwent neck dissection. The relationships between the maximal standardized uptake value (SUV) of primary tumors and clinicopathologic parameters, such as gender, age, tumor thickness, local invasiveness, T and N categories, tumor-node-metastasis stage, and histological grade, as well as with disease-free survival (DFS), were assessed.

Results

FDG PET was more sensitive than CT/MRI for detecting cervical metastases on a level-by-level basis (38/43 vs. 28/43; P = 0.002). Age, T and N categories, tumor thickness (>8 mm) and SUV (>5.0) were also significant variables of 3-year DFS in univariate analysis. T category was an independent determinant of DFS in multivariate analysis (P < 0.05). During a mean follow-up of 36 months, FDG PET correctly diagnosed locoregional recurrences in 20 patients, distant metastases in six and second cancers in five.

Conclusion

FDG PET may have potential roles in initial staging, survival prediction, and the detection of recurrences and second cancers.     

1818F-FDG PET显像在胃肠道恶性肿瘤术后监测的应用价值

目的:探讨18F-双脱氧葡萄糖(FDG)PET显像探察胃肠道恶性肿瘤患者术后肿瘤复发和远处转移的应用价值。方法:40例胃肠道恶性肿瘤术后患者,其中食管癌8例,胃癌8例,结肠癌15例,直肠癌9例;进行18F-FDG显像。结果:18F-FDGPET显像诊断胃肠道恶性肿瘤术后复发和或转移的灵敏度93.8%、特异性87.5%、准确性92.5%;在18F-FDGPET显像真阳性30例中,4例为局部复发,9例为局部复发伴转移;17例为远处转移。在有复发的13例中,9例18F-FDGPET显像结果与X-CT结果一致,4例X-CT检查未见异常。在有转移的26例患者中,18F-FDGPET显像共捡出转移灶109处。结论:18F-FDGPET显像是检测胃肠道恶性肿瘤术后复发和转移的灵敏而有效的方法,值得推广应用。     

Blood Flow and Metabolism of Oligodendrogliomas: A Positron Emission Tomography Study with Kinetic Analysis of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose

To accurately characterize the pathophysiology and proliferating activity of oligodendrogliomas, we studied cerebral blood flow and metabolism using positron emission tomography (PET) in five patients with this tumor. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), cerebral blood volume (rCBV), oxygen extraction fraction (rOEF), and cerebral metabolic rates of oxygen (rCMRO₂) and of glucose (rCMRGl) were quantitatively measured in tumor lesions and the contralateral gray matter. rCMRGl was analyzed based on both kinetic and autoradiographic methods. Tumor rCBF and rCBV were lower than in the contralateral gray matter in all preoperatively examined patients. Oxygen metabolism, determined by rCMRO₂ and rOEF, was consistently reduced in the tumor (rCMRO₂, P<0.05 vs. gray matter, determined by the Student's t-test). Tumor rCMRGl was significantly lower than the gray matter rCMRGl in both kinetic (P<0.01) and autoradiographic (P<0.05) analyses. Kinetic tumor rCMRGl varied between 1.22 and 4.13mg/100ml/min, but was lower than the gray matter value in all patients. Autoradiographic tumor rCMRGl, which ranged from 1.02 to 5.79mg/100ml/min, was also reduced in all tumors but one; the remaining tumor, which had a relatively high value of autoradiographic rCMRGl (comparable to gray matter rCMRGl), infiltrated the contralateral hemisphere through the corpus callosum, and was characterized by high cellular density. In one patient who suffered from tumor recurrence 8 years and 10 months after initial treatment, phosphorylation constant (K3) and kinetic rCMRGl of the recurring tumor were higher than those of the original tumor. No other tumors have regrown or recurred during the postoperative follow-up periods, which ranged from 22 to 130 months (median=101 months). Circulation and metabolism measured by PET provide in vivo biological characteristics, including proliferating activity, in oligodendrogliomas.     

18F-FDG PET/CT在探查腹膜转移性肿瘤中的价值

目的:评价18F-FDG PET/CT探查腹膜转移瘤的价值。方法:39例有腹部原发恶性肿瘤手术史患者行PET/CT首次和延迟扫描,在PET/CT图像上记录病灶大小、分布,结果与常规CT比较。测量62个病灶和对照组32例腹部无病变患者的肠管SUVmax。所有病例经手术、病理、影像学和肿瘤标记物随访作出最后诊断。结果:最终确认39例中31例腹膜转移瘤,病灶均为结节状或沿腹膜条片状分布,多位于肝脏周围和盆腔腹膜,其他部位腹膜少见。PET/CT漏诊的4个病灶主要位于肝脏周围,1例因化疗不久病灶FDG低摄取而漏诊,因此敏感性为87.1%,特异性为87.1%。CT仅检出12例转移瘤。转移瘤SUVmax明显高于对照组肠管SUVmax(P=0.0000)。结论:18F-FDG PET/CT能够较CT更早、更多地检出腹膜转移瘤,病灶体积小、位于基础摄取较高的肝脏周围是漏诊主要原因,而结合原发肿瘤病史和肿瘤标记物检查有利于诊断。     

Substantial impact of FDG PET imaging on the therapy decision in patients with early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma

This prospective study assessed the impact of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) on the staging and possible consequential changes of treatment regimen in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). A total of 88 consecutive patients with histologically verified Hodgkin's lymphoma underwent a PET scan in addition to conventional staging procedures. Treatment was based on the conventional staging only, and the results of the FDG-PET did not affect the treatment strategy. The evaluation focused on the suggested change in clinical stage according to the Ann Arbor classification and on the suggested change in treatment strategy rather than on a lesion-by-lesion analysis. Using all the methods performed as the standard of reference, (18)F-FDG-PET staging was concordant with conventional staging in 70 out of 88 patients (80%). (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography suggested a change to a different clinical stage in 18 patients (20%). Management would have been changed in 16 patients (18%): intensification of treatment in nine patients (10%) and minimisation of treatment in seven patients (8%). In the 44 patients with early disease (stage IA-IIB), treatment would have been intensified in nine out of 44 patients (20%). (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is a relevant noninvasive method that supplements conventional staging procedures and should therefore be used routinely to stage Hodgkin's lymphoma, particularly in patients with an early stage.     

18F-FDG PET/CT在预测非小细胞肺癌EGFR突变中的价值

目的:探讨18F脱氧葡萄糖（18F-fluorodeoxyglucose,18F-FDG）正电子发射计算机断层显像(PET/CT)最大标准摄取值（maximum standardized uptake value,SUVmax）及代谢体积（metabolic tumor volume,MTV）在预测非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC）表皮生长因子受体（epidermal growth factor receptor,EGFR）突变中的价值。方法:回顾性分析141例经病理证实的NSCLC患者的临床资料,所有患者治疗前均行18F-FDG PET/CT 检查及EGFR突变检测。分析临床病理资料和PET/CT代谢参数SUVmax、MTV与EGFR突变状态的相关性。采用受试者工作特征（receiver operating characteristic,ROC）曲线获得SUVmax、MTV预测EGFR突变的最佳界值点。采用Logistic回归模型对预测EGFR突变状态的变量进行多因素分析。结果:141例入组患者中,EGFR突变型有74例（52.5%）。EGFR突变患者的MTV值明显低于野生型患者（P=0.033）,而EGFR突变患者的SUVmax与野生型患者的SUVmax间无统计学差异（P>0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,SUVmax及MTV预测EGFR突变的最佳截断值分别是8.56,24.0 cm3,AUC分别是0.522,0.604。单因素分析结果显示,不吸烟者(P=0.001)、女性(P=0.003)、腺癌(P=0.022)及MTV＜24.0 cm3（P=0.003）的患者更易出现EGFR突变。Logistic 多因素分析显示,吸烟及MTV是预测EGFR突变的独立影响因子（P<0.05）。结论:MTV是预测NSCLC EGFR突变的独立影响因素,在预测EGFR突变中具有一定的参考价值。     

18F-FDG PET/CT显像中应用“反复排尿再充盈法”提高膀胱病灶检出率的临床研究

背景与目的：¹⁸F-FDG经过由尿液排泄,膀胱中尿液的高放射性影响了膀胱病灶的检出,本研究介绍一种¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT检查中提高膀胱恶性病灶检出率的简便方法——“反复排尿再充盈法”,即：¹⁸F-FDG注射后反复饮水-排尿、最后憋尿检查。方法：回顾性分析了48例(35例原发、13例非原发)膀胱恶性肿瘤患者¹⁸F-FDG常规显像后,通过反复饮水-排尿、再憋尿进行盆腔延迟显像的结果。结果：89%的患者(43/48)在首次延迟显像时,尿液SUV_max(SUV最大值)从33.14(9～66.80)降至3.23(1.35～5.65),差异有统计学意义,(t=8.703, P<0.01),2次显像的平均间隔时间为2 h,而膀胱病灶的SUVmax为2.8～25.0。该延迟显像方法对膀胱癌诊断灵敏度为90.5%(19/21)、特异度为81.5%(22/27)、准确性为85.4%(41/48)。结论：反复饮水-排尿、最后憋尿情况下的盆腔延迟显像能在保持膀胱壁解剖对比的同时,有效降低膀胱尿液放射性本底、增加病灶靶/本比,进而增加膀胱癌灶检出率,且简单易行,值得推广。     

Gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: Is now time for a new approach?

Gastro-entero-pancreatic tumors (GEP-NETs) are rare neoplasms often characterized by an overexpression of somatostatin receptors. Thus, radiolabeled somatostatin analogues have showed an increasing relevance both in diagnosis and treatment, especially in low- and intermediate-differentiated GEP-NETs. These evidences have led to a growing development of new functional imaging techniques as 68Ga-DOTATATE positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) proved useful in the management of these neoplasms. However these tumors have a heterogeneous behavior also modifying their aggressiveness through time. Therefore sometimes 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT appears to be more appropriate to obtain a better assessment of the disease. According to these considerations, the combination of different functional imaging techniques should be considered in the management of GEP-NETs patients allowing clinicians to choose the tailored therapeutic approach among available options.     

FDG-PET for hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer: Advances and current limitations

In Japan, the use of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) for some malignant tumors came to be covered by the National Health Insurance in 2002. In 2010, the health insurance coverage was expanded to all types of malignant tumors. However, since PET examination requires a large amount of capital investment, facilities at which PET is available are still limited. On the other hand, PET equipment has rapidly been introduced in large hospitals and in the diagnostic imaging centers of major cities during the past few years. Although numerous middle-sized and small hospitals cannot afford to perform PET, physicians can refer their patients to facilities where PET is available. Therefore, it is essential for general physicians to gain accurate knowledge on PET, including the appropriate indications for PET, in order to select patients for referral to PET facilities. PET is not always a useful tool, especially for lesions of the pancreas and hepatobiliary system, which is the main topic of this review. The indications of PET for lesions in these organs vary depending on the purpose of the examination. In this article, we review the indications for PET (or PET/computed tomography [CT]) using FDG of the liver, biliary tract, and pancreas.     

Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT for differentiating diagnosis between malignant and benign primary gastric gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors: a single-center retrospective study

BackgroundMalignant primary gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (gGISTs) without treatment with imatinib are prone to bleeding and peritoneum implantation during operation. Therefore, preoperative assessment of the malignant potential of gGIST is essential. The use of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) as a non-invasive tool for diagnosis, staging and prognosis evaluation in oncology, may also be useful for gGISTs. In the present study, we analyzed the value of ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT in assessing the malignant potential of gGISTs before treatment.MethodsPatients who were diagnosed with gGIST by pathology and underwent ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT at the same time were collected. The clinicopathological features of 26 patients with gGISTs were retrospectively analyzed at last. The gGIST risk classification was graded according to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) GIST risk classification criteria [2008]. Lesions were classified as malignant group (moderate- or high-risk category) and benign group (low- or very low-risk category) according to pathology. The relationship between the maximal standard uptake value (SUVmax) and GIST risk category, tumor diameter, Ki-67 index, and mitotic count was analyzed. The cut-off level of SUVmax for the diagnosis of malignant gGIST with the highest sensitivity was calculated based on the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve.ResultsThe SUVmax, tumor diameter, Ki-67 index, and mitotic count of the 26 gGIST patients were 5.90±4.49, 7.40±4.92 cm, 7.62%±11.76%, (5.96±3.19)/50 high-power field (HPF), respectively. SUVmax was significantly correlated with GIST risk category, Ki-67 index, and mitotic count (r=0.855, 0.860, and 0.690, all P<0.01) but not with tumor diameter (r=0.383, P=0.054). The SUVmax of gGIST was 7.00±4.57 in the malignant group (moderate or high NIH risk category in 20 patients), which was significantly different from that (2.25±0.77) in the benign group (low or extremely low NIH risk category in 6 patients) (t=4.566, P<0.01). ROC curve analysis showed that a SUVmax cut-off of 2.60 was most sensitive for predicting malignant gGIST. When the area under the curve was 0.967, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 83.3%.ConclusionsSUVmax may be used as a complementary indicator for predicting the malignant potential of gGISTs before treatment.     

18F-FDG PET对睾丸生殖细胞肿瘤化疗后肿瘤残留的准确性判断

  目的  探讨睾丸生殖细胞肿瘤化疗后18F-FDG PET对腹膜后残留病灶的准确性判断。  方法  回顾性分析2014年2月至2016年12月北京大学肿瘤医院泌尿外科16例睾丸生殖肿瘤伴腹膜后淋巴结转移患者的资料,4~6个疗程的博来霉素+顺铂+依托泊苷（BEP）化疗后行腹部CT检查,所有患者的腹膜后肿块直径＞2 cm。18F-FDG PET检查后行腹膜后淋巴结清扫术,并进行术后病理与术前18F-FDG PET结果比较。  结果  16例患者中10例18F-FDG PET结果阳性,其中5例术后病理存在肿瘤残留、5例无肿瘤残留组织;6例18F-FDG PET结果为阴性,2例术后病理肿瘤残留患者均为成熟畸胎瘤、4例无肿瘤组织残留。18F-FDG PET的准确率为56.25%（9/16）,灵敏度为71.42%（5/7）,特异度为44.44%（4/9）,阳性预测率为50.00%（5/10）,阴性预测率为66.67%（4/6）。  结论  18F-FDG PET灵敏度较高,但多种因素会影响18F-FDG PET结果的准确性,成熟畸胎瘤易造成18F-FDG PET的假阴性,大量炎性组织易造成18F-FDG PET假阳性,需结合多种检查提高结果准确性。      

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Pilot comparison of 18F-fluorocholine and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT with conventional imaging in prostate cancer

Introduction: Conventional imaging (CI) is known to have limitations with respect to staging of patients with primary or relapsed prostate cancer. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with ¹⁸F-flurodeoxyglucose (FDG) is also often suboptimal because of low tracer avidity, but ¹⁸F-fluorocholine (FCH) appears to be a promising alternative molecular imaging probe. We report a prospective pilot study of PET/CT comparing both tracers for staging and restaging of patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Sixteen prostate cancer patients were evaluated (7 for staging and 9 for restaging). All patients also underwent CI, comprising at least an abdominopelvic CT and a bone scan. All imaging results and other relevant data were extracted from the imaging reports and medical charts. Results: Based on all imaging-detected disease sites, both FCH-PET/CT and FDG-PET/CT (79%) were more sensitive than CI (14%), with the highest number of sites of nodal and distant disease on FCH PET/CT. FCH-PET/CT alone would have provided sufficient clinical information to form an appropriate management plan in 88% of cases, as compared with 56% for CI. Conclusion: FCH-PET/CT has the potential to impact on the management of patients with prostate cancer significantly more often than CI.     

The role of PET in the surgical approach to adrenal disease

Positron emission tomography provides a new approach to the investigation of adrenal disease and has created a new imaging paradigm with hybrid PET/CT where high resolution anatomy and tissue function can be mapped simultaneously. Of the principal radiopharmaceuticals available for adrenal PET studies, ¹⁸F-FDG has the greatest utility in identifying adrenal cancer and in distinguishing benign from malignant disease in incidentally discovered adrenal masses. Despite the obvious value of FDG imaging in cancer, it's accumulation in benign processes – infection and inflammation may actually confound functional characterization in some instances, where a more specific agent for cancer would be welcome. The adrenocortical imaging agent ¹⁸F-MTO depicts tissues of cortical origin and may, like radiolabeled cholesterol, be used to functionally characterize the adrenal cortex in Cushing syndrome and aldosteronism, perhaps with the use of pharmacologic suppression of inner cortical function, but it cannot distinguish adrenocortical carcinoma from adrenal adenoma, an important utility in the non-invasive evaluation of an adrenal mass. Positron-labeled intermediates of catecholamine metabolism, in particular ¹⁸F-DA and perhaps gallium-68 labeled somatostatin-analogs, can be used to localize tumors of sympathomedulla origin and may outperform ¹³¹I- and ¹²³I-labeled MIBG and ¹¹¹In-octreotide in depicting remote metastases of pheochromocytoma. It is obvious that each of these imaging agents can provide important information and play a critical role, along with other non-PET radiopharmaceuticals in the pre- and postsurgical evaluations and management of specific adrenal diseases, but they must be used judiciously in the proper clinical context with an awareness of their diagnostic weaknesses.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Milton D. Gross, Dr. Paul Gauger, Dr. Mehdi Djekidel and Dr. Domenico Rubello stated that they had no relationship with other persons or organisations, both financial and personal that could potentially bias the present work.