title: Molecular imaging of pulmonary nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lung nodules can be benign or malignant, reflecting many possible causes, ranging from inflammatory and infectious processes to neoplasms. Incidental detection on chest x-ray or thoracic CT often requires further evaluation by imaging or invasive procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Currently, 18F-FDG PET/CT offers both anatomic and metabolic characterization of lung nodules. Fluorine-18-thymidine, 11C-methionine, 68Ga-DOTA-somatostatin analogs, and 18F-dihydroxyphenylalanine may offer additional molecular information useful for diagnosis and treatment planning.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET Unit, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Viale Tre Martiri 140, Rovigo 45100, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Margherita
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Maffione
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grassetto
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rampin
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chondrogiannis
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marzola
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ambrosini
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals