title: Comparison of FLT-PET/CT and CECT in gastric cancer diagnosis.
abstract: To date, no data are available on the use of 18-fluorothymidine positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FLT-PET/CT) for preoperative gastric cancer staging. Herein, we attempt to assess the value of FLT-PET/CT for preoperative gastric cancer staging in comparison with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).
  
  
  
  In a group of 96 gastric cancer patients, 96 FLT-PET/CT, 56 abdominal cavity CECT, and 51 resective operations were done. All three (FLT-PET/CT, CECT, and resective operation) were done in 29 patients. The results of FLT-PET/CT, CECT, and histopathological examinations were used to assess the ability of FLT-PET/CT and CECT to identify primary tumors, regional nodal metastases, and distant abdominal metastases. Assessment of regional lymph nodes was based on SUVmax in FLT-PET/CT and SAD (short-axis diameter) in CECT.
  
  
  
  In the group of 56 patients examined with FLT-PET/CT and CECT, identification of the primary tumor was possible in 56 cases (100%) and in 53 cases (94.6%), respectively, (p = 0.013). Using ROC curve, the sensitivity and specificity of FLT-PET/CT in metastatic regional lymph node assessment were higher than those of CECT (p = 0.0033). FLT-PE/CT enabled identification of a greater number of extraregional abdominal metastases than CECT (n = 56; 19 vs. 15, respectively), but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.41).
  
  
  
  The ability of FLT-PET/CT to identify primary tumors is greater than that of CECT, and thus FLT-PET/CT was better in evaluating regional nodal metastases. FLT-PET/CT enabled identification of a greater number of abdominal metastases than CECT, but the difference was not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Surgery, Oncological Centre, Bydgoszcz, Poland. tomasz_staniuk@tlen.pl.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Staniuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Oncological Centre, Bydgoszcz, Poland.|Department of Positron Emission Tomography and Molecular Diagnostics, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Małkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Pathology and Pathomorphology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Śrutek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Oncological Centre, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szlęzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Surgery, Oncological Centre, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zegarski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C002854:alovudine
keywords: CECT; Comparison; FLT-PET/CT; Gastric cancer