title: [The usefulness of PET/CT in lung cancer].
abstract: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Accurate staging is essential for the optimal management and treatment of these patients. Positron emission tomography (PET) and, more recently, PET/CT have been introduced into the diagnostic algorithms for oncologic patients because they provide valuable functional information. The hybrid PET/CT technique acquires both anatomic (CT) and metabolic (PET) images in a single session, combining the benefits of each modality and minimizing their limitations. This article reviews the role of PET/CT in lung cancer staging, with emphasis on non-small cell carcinoma, evaluating the advantages and limitations of the technique. Other applications of the technique, such as planning radiotherapy, are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España. i.pinilla@telefonica.net
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinilla
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gómez León
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed