Focused regional FDG PET/CT detects more osseous metastases than does whole-body PET/CT

Clin Nucl Med. 2013 Mar;38(3):217-8. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e31827a27ae.

Abstract

A patient with melanoma underwent FDG PET/CT for surveillance of metastatic disease. The whole-body PET/CT scan demonstrated a single FDG-avid lesion in the left ilium, suggestive of an osseous metastasis. Because there was no corresponding CT abnormality, biopsy was planned using PET/CT guidance. The PET/CT for biopsy guidance focused over a single pelvic bed position demonstrated at least 12 FDG-avid osseous metastases, which were not apparent on the original whole-body PET/CT. This case highlights the limitations of whole-body PET/CT in the detection of small metastases and suggests that a PET/CT focused over a specific body region can improve the sensitivity of detecting small metastases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Multimodal Imaging*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Whole Body Imaging*

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18