title: Alternative PET Tracers in Musculoskeletal Disease.
abstract: Noninvasive detection, identification, and evaluation of malignant musculoskeletal tumors is difficult because of the varied grades of tumor malignancies. Positron emission tomography (PET) using radiolabeled tracers for musculoskeletal tumor detection has gained popularity because of the more detailed information it provides on tumor aggressiveness and biologic response to therapy compared with conventional techniques. Radiolabeled fluorine, amino acids, and choline have also proved to be successful in differentiating benign lesions from malignant tumors using PET. The sensitivity and specificity of the radiolabeled tracers may help in early detection and treatment of tumors in patients with cancer. In this article, the potential role of these alternative PET tracers in musculoskeletal disorders is reviewed with emphasis on oncologic applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, King Hussein Medical Center, PO Box 855028, Amman 11855, Jordan.
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Ibraheem
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, Munich 81675, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, Munich 81675, Germany.
authors.forename: Ambros J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, Munich 81675, Germany. Electronic address: ken.herrmann@tum.de.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herrmann
keywords: Detection; Musculoskeletal tumors; Positron emission tomography; Radiolabeled tracers