title: Value of ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT in the detection of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy or radiofrequency ablation: a comparative study with contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of positron emission tomography/computer tomography with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18) F-FDG-PET/CT) in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after hepatectomy and/or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and to compare its efficacy with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 36 HCC patients were included in this study. All patients underwent both (18) F-FDG-PET/CT and CEUS at least once for the diagnosis of HCC recurrence. The time interval between PET/CT and CEUS was 14 ± 3 days. All patients were followed up for at least 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 32 patients were confirmed to have HCC recurrence by pathology and clinical follow-up. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of (18) F-FDG-PET/CT for intrahepatic HCC recurrence were 96.7%, 83.3%, 96.7%, 83.3% and 94.4%, respectively. The corresponding values of CEUS were 56.7%, 100%, 100%, 31.6% and 63.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of (18) F-FDG-PET/CT for the diagnosis of HCC recurrence were significantly higher than those of CEUS (P < 0.01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with CEUS, (18) F-FDG-PET/CT has higher sensitivity and accuracy in detecting the local recurrence of HCC after hepatectomy and/or RFA. It can be used to detect recurrent extrahepatic lesions of HCC effectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiang Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: An Bin
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: computer tomography; contrast enhanced ultrasound; hepatocellular carcinoma; positron-emission tomography; radiofrequency ablation; recurrence