title: Value of fusing PET plus CT images in hepatocellular carcinoma and combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma patients with extrahepatic metastases: preliminary findings.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan. nagaoka_sakae@kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itano
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Torimura
authors.forename: Kenkichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurogi
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsugaki
authors.forename: Kinya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Nobuyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tajiri
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takada
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuromatsu
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaida
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurogi
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Ryukichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumashiro
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayabuchi
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojiro
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata
mesh_terms: 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