Tsuyoshi Suga, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Yuji Nakamoto MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tatsuya Higashi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tadashi Hara, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mitsuaki Tatsumi MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kaori Togashi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tsuneo Saga MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yasuyo Hamanaka MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kohei Hayashida MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has been widely used in assessment of patients with various malignancies, but investigations are still limited regarding diagnostic performance of FDG-PET for endometrial cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of FDG-PET for preoperative staging of uterine corpus carcinoma.

Twenty-six female patients (aging from 27 to 81, mean 49 years old) suspected of having endometrial cancer were included in this study. All patients underwent FDG-PET scan (n=13) or FDG-PET/CT scan (n=13). Diagnostic performance for primary tumor, regional nodal metastases, and distant metastases was assessed, based on final diagnoses obtained by histopathological examination or by clinical follow-up. In interpreting PET or PET/CT images, diagnostic CT or MR images were allowed to use as reference when available.

Of 26 patients, 18 patients were histologically confirmed to have endometrial cancer. The sensitivity and specificity of PET for primary tumor were 78% (14/18) and 100% (7/7), respectively. For nodal staging, the sensitivity and specificity were 81% (9/11) and 100% (38/38) for regional lymph node metastasis, 100% (3/3) and 100% (13/13) for paraaortic lymph node metastasis, respectively. Since discordant results were not observed for nodal staging between PET and conventional modalities, additional information was not obtained. Distant metastases were detected 11 lesions in 4 patients. On patient-basis, all these patients were accurately diagnosed by PET. However, there were one false-positive (lung) and two false-negative (lung and bone) results, on lesion-basis. PET yielded four additional findings regarding metastases or other unexpected malignancies in four patients, which had not been identified by conventional modalities.

PET or PET/CT had reasonably high diagnostic accuracy for staging in patients with endometrial cancer. Additional information may be obtained especially in evaluating distant metastasis or unexpected malignancies rather than nodal staging.

FDG-PET has reasonably high diagnostic accuracy for staging in patients with endometrial cancer.

Suga, T, Nakamoto, Y, Higashi, T, Hara, T, Tatsumi, M, Togashi, K, Saga, T, Hamanaka, Y, Hayashida, K, et al, , et al, , Clinical Value of FDG-PET for Preoperative Staging of Uterine Corpus Carcinoma.  Radiological Society of North America 2007 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2007 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2007/5008682.html