Contribution of positron emission tomography in pleural disease.
BACKGROUND
Positron emission tomography (PET) now plays a clear role in oncology, especially in chest tumours. We discuss the value of metabolic imaging in characterising pleural pathology in the light of our own experience and review the literature.


BACKGROUND
PET is particularly useful in characterising malignant pleural pathologies and is a factor of prognosis in mesothelioma. Metabolic imaging also provides clinical information for staging lung cancer, in researching the primary tumour in metastatic pleurisy and in monitoring chronic or recurrent pleural pathologies.


CONCLUSIONS
PET should therefore be considered as a useful tool in the diagnosis of liquid or solid pleural pathologies.
Duysinx
B
B
Chest Clinic, Sart-Tilman University Hospital B35, 4000 Liege, Belgium. bduysinx@swing.be
Corhay
J-L
JL
Larock
M-P
MP
Withofs
N
N
Bury
T
T
Hustinx
R
R
Louis
R
R
D000368:Aged; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010994:Pleura / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D018700:Pleurodesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed