[The values of (11)C-acetate and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in diagnosis of indefinite liver masses].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the values of the two tracers of positron emission tomography (PET) in the liver masses not definitely diagnosed by routine examinations.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with liver masses of indefinite diagnosis after serum tests and common imaging examinations underwent PET with both (11)C-acetate and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). The results were compared. After the PET all 15 patients were subjected to surgery.


RESULTS
Pathological examination showed that 13 of the 15 patients were confirmed as malignant liver lesions and the other 2 as benign. Within the 13 malignant liver lesions, (11)C-acetate-PET suggested malignancy in 10 cases, and benignancy in 3 cases. And (18)F-FDG-PET suggested malignancy in 9 cases and benignancy in 4 cases. In the two benign cases, both (11)C-acetate-PET and (18)F-FDG-PET showed one malignant liver lesion and one benign liver lesion. (11)C-acetate-PET showed a high sensitivity (100%) for the well-differentiated tumors, and (18)F-FDG-PET showed a high sensitivity for the poorly-differentiated tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic accuracy for liver lesions may be improved by the two tracers of PET when the lesions can not be definitely diagnosed by routine examinations and at the same time when the patients are able to afford two PET examinations. They may also imply the cell-differentiation of the liver masses, and be helpful for selecting the treatment means for the patients.
Sang
Xin-Ting
XT
Department of Liver Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
DU
Shun-da
SD
Mao
Yi-Lei
YL
Lu
Xin
X
Yang
Zhi-Ying
ZY
Huo
Li
L
Zhong
Shou-Xian
SX
Huang
Jie-Fu
JF
D000085:Acetates; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000085:Acetates; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18