Head and neck cancer: effect of food ingestion on uptake of C-11 methionine.
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.
Lindholm
P
P
Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku University Cyclotron/PET Center, Finland.
Leskinen-Kallio
S
S
Kirvelä
O
O
Någren
K
K
Lehikoinen
P
P
Pulkki
K
K
Peltola
O
O
Ruotsalainen
U
U
Teräs
M
M
Joensuu
H
H
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
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008715:Methionine