[Diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography for evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma].
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.
Shin
Jeong A
JA
Center for Liver Center, National Cancer Center, Korea.
Park
Joong-Won
JW
An
Min
M
Choi
Joon Il
JI
Kim
Seong Hoon
SH
Kim
Seok Ki
SK
Lee
Woo Jin
WJ
Park
Sang Jae
SJ
Hong
Eun Kyung
EK
Kim
Chang-Min
CM
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
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18