The role of PET/CT in the evaluation of skeletal metastases.
Osseous metastatic disease from malignancy is a common occurrence with significant patient morbidity and mortality as well as increasing health care expenditures. Patient management plans frequently change with the identification of skeletal metastasis and the upstaging of disease status. Bone scintigraphy remains the current mainstay of diagnostic imaging procedures in nuclear medicine for the early detection of skeletal metastasis owing to their high sensitivity. Emerging positron tracers and the increasing use and availability of hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography machines enable physicians to diagnose metastatic disease in bones with superior accuracy. This review introduces the basics of PET and the commonly used positron tracers used to evaluate skeletal metastases.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Anbalagan
A
Kannivelu
Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Kelvin S H
KS
Loke
Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Tian Yue
TY
Kok
Radlink PET and Cardiac Imaging Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore.
Saabry Yusof
SY
Osmany
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Syed Zama
SZ
Ali
Nuclear Medicine and PET Centre, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Lu
L
Suat-Jin
Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
David Chee-Eng
DC
Ng
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*