title: [Diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography for evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging technique reflecting cellular metabolism. However, the feasibility of PET in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited because of vague accuracy and high cost. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of (18)F-FDG-PET in detection of HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied HCC patients who underwent (18)F-FDG-PET between June 2001 and February 2005 in Korea National Cancer Center. Thirty-two patients were enrolled and HCC status of these patients were verified by surgical pathology or clinical course using imaging studies (CT, MRI or angiography) within 3 months after PET. PET studies were read by 2 specialists for nuclear medicine and determined as malignant when its standardized uptake value (SUV) was over 2.5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCC was suspected in 21 out of 32 cases on (18)F-FDG-PET. On follow-up, 2 of 21 cases were determined false-positive. In cases of 11 patients without evidence of HCC on (18)F-FDG-PET, 10 patients were found to have HCC on follow-up. Thus, the sensitivity and specificity of (18)F-FDG-PET were 65.5% and 33.3% respectively. The positive predictive value was 90.5%. The diagnostic accuracy was 62.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (18)F-FDG-PET showed a low accuracy in diagnosis of HCC. Therefore, (18)F-FDG-PET has a limited role in a staging and detection of occult HCC.
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver Center, National Cancer Center, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Joong-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Joon Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seong Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Chang-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18