title: Clinical application of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in breast cancer.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) is not suited for primary diagnostics of breast tumours and it cannot replace sentinel lymph node technique in determining metastases to the axilla. PET/CT has a high sensitivity and specificity regarding the detection of loco-regional recurrence and metastases to mediastinal and internal mammary lymph nodes, as well as distant metastases. Whether the method can replace conventional methods, or be a supplement when this is non-conclusive, remains unresolved. PET/CT cannot be recommended for routine follow-up but is recommended in patients with suspected relapse when conventional imaging has given equivocal results. PET/CT can be applied to confirm isolated loco-regional relapse or metastatic lesion detected by conventional imaging. PET/CT has a high sensitivity for detecting response to treatment, but a low specificity calls for cautions. Further investigations into the use of PET/CT to predict and monitor response are warranted, before this approach may find its way into a clinical setting. In the future, PET/CT will probably find increasing use in treatment planning and evaluation of patients with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernsdorf
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graff
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: initial diagnosis; response evaluation; staging and restaging