Authors:
C. N. Patel, R. Briggs, F. U. Chowdhury, A. F. Scarsbrook; Leeds/UK
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2010/C-0251
Methods and Materials
PATIENT GROUP
108 patients with potentially radically treatable hepatobiliary malignancy were referred for FDG PET/CT over a 2 year period at our large tertiary referral centre. These included 75 patients with colorectal liver metastases, 23 patients with cholangiocarcinoma and 10 patients with gallbladder carcinoma.
IMAGING
All patients were discussed at a hepatobiliary multidiscipliniary meeting (MDT) prior to and following the PET/CT being performed. The pre-PET/CT management plan was recorded in the MDT notes. All patients had CT performed prior to PET/CT and MRI performed prior to or comtemporaneously to PET/CT.
All PET/CT examinations were performed using 60 minute uptake periods following the injection of 400 or 500MBq 18F-FDG (depending on body weight). Non-contrast CT images were acquired followed by a PET acquisition of 4-5minutes per bed position. PET/CT images were reviewed with dedicated PET/CT viewing software by a dual-certified nuclear medicine radiologist.
PATIENT MANAGEMENT
Following review of PET/CT findings at the hepatobiliary MDT, any change in patient management was recorded in the MDT notes. Surgical correlation or clinical follow-up was available in all patients. The incremental value of FDG PET/CT was compared to conventional imaging with CT and MRI for evidence of additonal sites of disease and impact on patient management.