title: PET in Brain Tumors.
abstract: Evaluating gliomas, either at diagnosis or at recurrence, is among the historical indications of FDG positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. There is a clear relationship between the tumor grade, patient prognosis, and intensity of uptake. Yet the exact role of FDG PET imaging remains debated. PET and methionine labeled with the short-lived C11 also have been proposed, with the significant advantage of high tumor-to-cortex contrast and distinct bological properties that lead to specific indications. Clinical use of this tracer is hampered by the need for an on-site cyclotron, however. In recent years, the increased availability of fluorinated amino-acid analogs, in particular FET, has open the way to renewed scientific interest in the field of neuro-oncological PET and PET/CT. This article discusses FDG and alternative tracers for diagnosing and characterizing primary brain tumors, detecting their recurrences, helping to guide the radiation therapy, and for evaluating the response to treatments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Liège, University of Liège, B35, 4000 Liège I, Belgium. Electronic address: rhustinx@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hustinx
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Liège, University of Liège, B35, 4000 Liège I, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pacôme
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fosse
keywords: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose; Brain tumors; FET; Methyl-L-methionine; Positron emission tomography