Positron Emission Tomography, or PET imaging provides several benefits in oncology. PET permits a physician to accurately image many organs of the body with a single scan to detect malignancy. PET has demonstrated usefulness in cost-effective, whole-body metastatic surveys, allowing patients to avoid biopsies.
The benefits of PET include non-invasive differentiation of tumors from radiation necrosis; the possibility to change the course of ineffective chemotherapy; and avoidance of unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Applications for PET imaging in oncology include:
Brain Tumor
- Differentiate a recurrent tumor from radiation necrosis
- Differentiate primary CNS lymphoma from toxoplasmosis
- Exclude brain metastatic disease
Breast Cancer
- Identify involved axillary nodes or distant metastatic disease
- Exclude local recurrence of disease
- Exclude local recurrence of disease
Colorectal Cancer
- Detect locally recurrent or distant metastatic disease in patients with elevated or rising CEA who may be candidates for surgical re-excision
- Rule out distant metastases for preoperative evolution
Head & Neck Cancer
- Determine extent of local, regional, and distant disease
- Detect recurrent/residual tumor following definitive therapy
Lung Cancer
- Distinguish malignant pulmonary nodules from benign ones
- Stage mediastinal or distant metastatic disease
- Use as part of radiotherapy treatment planning
- Detect recurrent/residual tumor following definitive therapy
Lymphoma
- Determine extent of disease and measure treatment response
Melanoma
- Identify extent of local and regional disease spread in patients with high-risk melanoma (e.g., primary tumor less than 4mm) or in suspected recurrence
Musculoskeletal Tumors
- Evaluate local extent of disease and exclude distant metastases
- Measure treatment response and exclude recurrent/residual tumor following definitive therapy
Ovarian Cancer
- Detect recurrent/residual tumor prior to surgical exploration or additional chemotherapy
Pancreatic Cancer
- Differentiation of benign processes such as pancreatitis, mucinous cyst adenoma, and pseudocyst from malignant disease
- Rule out distant metastases during preoperative evaluation
Thyroid Cancer
- Detect metastatic or locally recurrent disease in patient with elevated thyroglobulin after definitive initial treatment and negative I-131 examination
Sources & Studies
- Conti, P.S., Lilien, D.L., Howley, K., Keppler, J., Grafton, S.T., Bading, J., PET and F-18 FDG in Oncology: A Clinical Update. Nuclear Medicine and Biology,(1996) 23:717-735.
- Di Chiro, G., Positron Emission Tomography Using FDG in Brain Tumors: A Powerful Diagnostic and Prognostic Tool. Investigational Radiology, (1986) 2:360-371.