F-18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the follow-up of breast cancer with elevated levels of tumor markers.
OBJECTIVE
The value of combined positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the follow-up of patients with breast cancer with elevated tumor markers but without proven metastases or local recurrence was assessed.


METHODS
Thirty-four women underwent PET/CT. The PET and CT images were first analyzed separately; fused findings were then interpreted, blinded to the results of the other modalities. The results of CT, PET, and PET/CT were compared with each other and correlated to the final diagnosis.


RESULTS
The PET/CT identified 149 malignant foci in 24 patients (71%). The CT detected 96 of these foci in 18 patients, whereas PET identified 124 foci in 17 patients. Differences between CT and PET were not significant. Differences between PET/CT and CT (P < 0.01) and PET/CT and PET (P < 0.01) were significant. The person-based sensitivity of PET/CT, PET, and CT was 96%, 88% and 96%, respectively. Specificity of PET/CT, PET, and CT was 89%, 78%, and 78%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The PET/CT is a valuable modality for the follow-up of patients with breast cancer and elevated levels of tumor markers.
Haug
Alexander Robert
AR
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany. alexander.haug@med.uni-muenchen.de
Schmidt
Gerwin Paul
GP
Klingenstein
Annemarie
A
Heinemann
Volker
V
Stieber
Petra
P
Priebe
Markus
M
la Fougère
Christian
C
Becker
Christoph
C
Hahn
Klaus
K
Tiling
Reinhold
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000097:blood; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018396:Mucin-1; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18