title: F-18 FDG in conjunction with 11C-choline PET/CT in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) alone has limited sensitivity for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We hoped to improve the diagnostic sensitivity by combining F-18 FDG and C-choline PET/CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 76 consecutive patients with HCC were prospectively enrolled. Whole-body F-18 FDG PET/CT scan was performed for all patients. In those patients with negative F-18 FDG scans, a regional C-choline PET/CT scan was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive F-18 FDG scans were noted in 61.1% (48/76) patients with HCC. Increased F-18 FDG uptake correlated with decreased tumor differentiation (P = 0.042). In 28 HCC patients with negative F-18 FDG scans, C-choline scan was positive in 71.4% patients. C-choline scan did not detect any significant difference between well- and moderately differentiated HCC (P = 0.585). Compared with F-18 FDG scan, C-choline scan showed a trend toward an improved detection of well-differentiated HCC (66.7% vs. 35.7%, NS). For detection of moderately differentiated HCC, the sensitivity of C-choline and F-18 FDG PET/CT was similar (85.7% vs. 72.0%, P = 0.648). The dual-tracer modality improved the diagnostic sensitivity of F-18 FDG PET/CT alone from 63.1% to 89.5% (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  F-18 FDG in conjunction with C-choline increases the sensitivity of PET/CT in detecting HCC.
authors: Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Hu-bing
authors: HB
authors: Wu
authors: Quan-shi
authors: QS
authors: Wang
authors: Bao-yuan
authors: BY
authors: Li
authors: Hong-sheng
authors: HS
authors: Li
authors: Wen-lan
authors: WL
authors: Zhou
authors: Qiao-yu
authors: QY
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002794:Choline; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D002794:Choline