Value of fusing PET plus CT images in hepatocellular carcinoma and combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma patients with extrahepatic metastases: preliminary findings.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (PET) and PET plus computed tomography (CT) fusion images for the detection of extrahepatic metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (combined HCC/CC).


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with HCC and combined HCC/CC were enrolled in the study from December 2004 to February 2005. In all patients, PET and CT of the chest to pelvis region were performed. The sensitivity of PET plus CT fusion images was compared with the sensitivity of PET, CT, and bone scintigraphy.


RESULTS
In 14 patients, a total of 58 extrahepatic metastases were diagnosed. The detection rate of PET plus CT fusion images, PET, CT, and bone scintigraphy was 98.2% (57 of 58 metastases), 89.6% (52 of 58 metastases), 91.2% (52 of 57 metastases), and 68.7% (11 of 16 bone metastases), respectively. No extrahepatic metastases were detected in the other seven patients. The detection rate of PET was 10/18 (55.6%) for intrahepatic lesions of HCC and combined HCC/CC.


CONCLUSIONS
The fusion of PET plus CT images is useful in detecting extrahepatic metastases in HCC and combined HCC/CC patients.
Nagaoka
Sakae
S
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan. nagaoka_sakae@kurume-u.ac.jp
Itano
Satoshi
S
Ishibashi
Masatoshi
M
Torimura
Takuji
T
Baba
Kenkichi
K
Akiyoshi
Junji
J
Kurogi
Junichi
J
Matsugaki
Satoru
S
Inoue
Kinya
K
Tajiri
Nobuyoshi
N
Takada
Akio
A
Ando
Eiji
E
Kuromatsu
Ryoko
R
Kaida
Hayato
H
Kurogi
Mina
M
Koga
Hironori
H
Kumashiro
Ryukichi
R
Hayabuchi
Naofumi
N
Kojiro
Masamichi
M
Sata
Michio
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed