title: Role of F-18-FDG-PET/CT in restaging of patients affected by gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are a subset of mesenchymal tumours that represent the most common mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and account for less than 1% of all gastrointestinal tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 19 patients (6 females and 13 males; median age: 61 years ± 15 standard deviation) affected by GIST histologically documented after surgical intervention or biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  F18-FDG-PET/CT had identified pathologic uptakes and was considered positive for neoplastic tissue in 10 patients (53%) and negative in 9 (47%), in concordance with radiological findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  F18-FDG-PET/CT is a feasible, reliable, and accurate method to restage patients affected by previously histologically confirmed GIST, also in the absence of a staging study.
authors: Nuclear Medicine, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy. francesco.bertagna@spedalicivili.brescia.it
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Bertagna
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Bosio
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Orlando
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Biasiotto
authors: Raffaele
authors: R
authors: Giubbini