Differentiation of retroperitoneal tumor using positron emission computed tomography.
Positron emission computed tomography (ECT) with 11C-DL-tryptophan and 11C-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid (11C-ACBC) has produced some promising results in patients with retroperitoneal masses. This brief report gives an example of one patient in whom a retroperitoneal mass could not be differentiated from the pancreas by transmission computed tomography but was suspected to be of pancreatic origin based on arteriographic findings. The ECT scans with 11C-DL-tryptophan showed a normal pancreas, whereas the tumor localizing agent 11C-ACBC concentrated in a tumor surrounding the tail and body of the pancreas. This approach with dual radiopharmaceuticals for the differentiation of metabolically active neoplasms and normal tissues warrants further investigation.
D000368:Aged; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D011859:Radiography; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes