title: FDG-PET evaluation of vaginal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the results of CT and positron emission tomography (PET) and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in the detection of the primary tumor and lymph node metastases in carcinoma of the vagina.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective registry study of 23 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the vagina, in which we respectively compared the results of CT and whole-body FDG-PET. The tumor was clinical Stage II in 16 patients, Stage III in 6, and Stage IVa in 1 patient. The primary tumor ranged in size from 2 to 10 cm (mean 4.9), and 4 patients had palpable groin lymph nodes. All patients were treated with external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy, 14 received concurrent chemotherapy, and 2 underwent primary tumor excision before the imaging evaluation. The median follow-up was 21 months in those patients alive without disease. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 21 patients with an intact primary tumor, CT visualized it in 9 (43%). CT also demonstrated abnormally enlarged groin lymph nodes in 3 patients and both groin and pelvic lymph nodes in 1 patient (4 of 23, 17%). FDG-PET identified abnormal uptake in all 21 intact primary tumors (100%). Abnormal uptake was found in the groin lymph nodes in 4 patients, pelvic lymph nodes in 2, and both groin and pelvic lymph nodes in 2 patients (8 of 23, 35%). The 3-year progression-free and overall survival estimate was 73% and 68%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study have demonstrated that FDG-PET detects the primary tumor and abnormal lymph nodes more often than does CT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Wayne T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Lamoreaux
authors.forename: Perry W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Grigsby
authors.forename: Farrokh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dehdashti
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zoberi
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Randall K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Gibb
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rader
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Mutch
authors.forename: Barry A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18