title: Head and neck cancer: effect of food ingestion on uptake of C-11 methionine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the influence of a standardized meal on tumor uptake measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and L-(methyl-carbon-11) methionine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients with untreated squamous cell cancer of the head and neck underwent PET, first in a fasting state and then 6-7 days later after ingesting a liquid meal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All tumors were seen on PET scans, and image quality remained good after food ingestion. The standardized uptake values of the tumors were 3.7-11.4 in the fasting state but decreased after the meal (range, 3.3-10.0; P < .04). No substantial change was measured in tumor C-11 methionine influx constants (Ki values).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although cancer imaging with PET and C-11 methionine can be performed even in the patient has not fasted, a standardized meal may decrease tumor C-11 methionine uptake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku University Cyclotron/PET Center, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindholm
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leskinen-Kallio
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kirvelä
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Någren
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehikoinen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pulkki
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ruotsalainen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teräs
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joensuu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D005215:Fasting; D005502:Food; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine; D008875:Middle Aged; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008715:Methionine