Toshiki Takei MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Syuhei Takeuchi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hirofumi Hokodate MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Noriaki Yuasa MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yuji Shimomura, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hiroya Saitou MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of dual-phase 18-FDG-PET/CT imaging protocol for the detection of liver metastases, in comparison with “Angio-CT” including computed tomography during arterioportography (CTAP) and/or CT during hepatic arteriography (CTHA).

Studied population consisted of 16 consecutive cancer patients underwent angio-CT with multidetector-row CT. We excluded hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients because HCC was not always FDG-avid. And all patients underwent whole-body 18-FDG-PET/CT according to dual-phase protocol including 60(early) and 120(delayed) minutes after FDG injection. We evaluated and analyzed 18-FDG-PET/CT findings compared with CTAP and angio-CT (a combination of CTAP and CTHA).

As a standard, 93 portal perfusion defects were demonstrated by CTAP and we calculated lesion-to-lesion analyses. Comparative analyses between CTAP and PET/CT early scan disclosed only 40 lesions (43%) showed FDG uptake. And the values between angio-CT and early PET/CT showed higher sensitivity (70%), specificity (97%) and accuracy (81%). Furthermore, analyses between angio-CT and PET/CT delayed scan made these values significant higher (sensitivity 82%, specificity 97%, accuracy 88%) because 7 lesions did not showed FDG uptake until delayed PET/CT scan. Size of PET/CT-negative lesion was significantly smaller than that of FDG-positive lesion (p<0.01). However, whole-body PET/CT disclosed unpredictably extrahepatic metastases in bone, paraaortic lymphnode, adrenal gland and biliary tract etc.

Our conclusion suggested the feasibility of PET/CT was not superior to angio-CT and during detecting liver metastases while additional delayed PET scan improved accuracy of detectability. However, We should use these modalities properly according to situation because PET/CT provided useful extrahepatic information.

FDG-PET/CT has a potential for detecting liver metastases while our study suggested PET/CT was not superior to angio-CT.

Takei, T, Takeuchi, S, Hokodate, H, Yuasa, N, Shimomura, Y, Saitou, H, Feasibility of Detecting Liver Metastases Using Dual-Phase 18-FDG-PET/CT: Comparison with Angio-CT Findings.  Radiological Society of North America 2006 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 1, 2006 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2006/4440249.html