title: Colorectal cancer and 18FDG-PET/CT: what about adding the T to the N parameter in loco-regional staging?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether FDG-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) may be an accurate technique in the assessment of the T stage in patients with colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty four consecutive patients (20 men and 14 women; mean age: 63 years) with a histologically proven diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma and scheduled for surgery in our hospital were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent FDG-PET/CT preoperatively. The primary tumor site and extent were evaluated on PET/CT images. Colorectal wall invasion was analysed according to a modified T classification that considers only three stages (≤ T2, T3, T4). Assessment of accuracy was carried out using 95% confidence intervals for T.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty five/37 (94.6%) adenocarcinomas were identified and correctly located on PET/CT images. PET/CT correctly staged the T of 33/35 lesions identified showing an accuracy of 94.3% (95% CI: 87%-100%). All T1, T3 and T4 lesions were correctly staged, while two T2 neoplasms were overstated as T3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that FDG-PET/CT may be an accurate modality for identifying primary tumor and defining its local extent in patients with colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples 80131, Italy. pierpamainenti@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Mainenti
authors.forename: Delfina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iodice
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segreto
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Storto
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magliulo
authors.forename: Giovanni Domenico
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: De Palma
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pace
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18