Positron emission tomography helps to diagnose tumor emboli and residual disease in choriocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Positron emission tomography (PET) has been shown capable of identifying malignant tissues.


METHODS
WB-PET imaging in two women with metastatic choriocarcinoma is described.


RESULTS
In a woman with tumor emboli secondary to a choriocarcinoma, WB-PET was the only noninvasive investigation to differentiate between tumor and blood clots. Moreover, PET helped to localize residual tumor tissue in another woman with persisting high beta-HCG serum levels after chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
WB-PET helps to localize tumor tissue in patients suffering from choriocarcinoma.
Hebart
H
H
Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tubingen, Germany.
Erley
C
C
Kaskas
B
B
Mayer
R
R
König
M
M
Einsele
H
H
Bokemeyer
C
C
Meerpohl
H G
HG
Feine
U
U
Kanz
L
L
D000328:Adult; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed