Is imaging the extremities with PEM feasible? A novel application for a high-resolution positron emission scanner.
BACKGROUND
Positron emission mammography (PEM) has better spatial resolution than positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), or PET/CT. We evaluated the feasibility of extremity imaging with PEM using PET as a standard.


METHODS
Fourteen patients underwent sequential PET/CT and PEM.


CONCLUSIONS
PEM visualized with equal or improved resolution all of the lesions identified on PET/CT. It often provided additional information such improved uptake localization and also visualized activity in an adjacent structures that was not seen on PET/CT or magnetic resonance imaging. We believe PEM can image the extremities in diseases like melanoma, arthritis and osteomyelitis and patients with metallic hardware.
Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: Sania.rahim@yale.edu.
Sania
S
Rahim
Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Osama
O
Mawlawi
Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Shree
S
Taylor
Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Richelle
R
Millican
Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Nancy M
NM
Swanston
Department of Radiology, Yale University Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA.
J Elliott
JE
Brown
Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Eric M
EM
Rohren
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
High-resolution PET; PEM; Positron emission mammography