title: Image analysis in patients with cancer studied with a combined PET and CT scanner.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare combined whole-body PET and CT images of different cancers with PET images alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with known or possible cancers were examined using a combined positron emission tomographic (PET) and computed tomographic (CT) scanner. All data were acquired using this same combined scanner. After an injection of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), noncontrast helical CT imaging of the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis was performed. The spiral CT was followed by a PET scan covering the same axial extent as the CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coregistered PET-CT images identified and localized 55 lesions. In 10 patients (31%), areas with variable amounts of normal physiologic FDG uptake were distinguished from potential uptake of FDG in a nearby neoplastic lesion. Improved localization was achieved in 9 patients (for a total of 13 lesions, or 24%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined PET-CT images appear more effective than PET images alone to localize precisely neoplastic lesions and to distinguish normal variants from juxtaposed neoplastic lesions.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh PET Facility, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Bohnen
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Kinahan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dachille
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jerin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nutt
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villemagne
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Townsend
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18