title: Assessment of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography in the preoperative management of patients with gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The significance of (18)F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-glucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography imaging (FDG-PET/CT) in the diagnosis of gastric cancer remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative FDG-PET/CT in staging of gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  FDG-PET/CT results for 90 patients with gastric cancer were retrospectively examined. For quantitative PET analysis, FDG uptake was assessed based on the maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax).
  
  
  RESULTS
  FDG-PET/CT detected the primary gastric cancer in 71 of the 90 patients (sensitivity 78.9 %). The median SUVmax was significantly higher in patients with T3/T4 disease than in those with T1/T2 (9.0 vs. 3.8; P < 0.001), in patients with distant metastasis than in those with no metastasis (9.5 vs. 7.7; P = 0.018), and with stage III/IV tumors than in those with stage I/II (9.0 vs. 4.7; P = 0.017). The SUVmax of the primary tumor was significantly correlated with tumor size (r = 0.461, P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FDG-PET/CT in assessing metastasis to regional lymph nodes were 64.5, 85.7, and 71.1 %, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG-PET/CT results are significantly associated with tumor progression in gastric cancer, and such findings can reliably identify cancer cell populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Okocho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan, tsutomun@kochi-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Namikawa
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okabayshi
authors.forename: Munenobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nogami
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanazaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011859:Radiography; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18