The role of Positron Emission Tomography in hepatobiliary cancers

Yun, Mijin

Abstract

Imaging approach for early diagnosis, accurate staging, and the evaluation of treatment response has been consisted of anatomical and functional imaging methods. The anatomical image usually depends on high spatial resolution to distinguish morphological difference from normal anatomy, but altered anatomy is not a specific finding for malignancy. Moreover, it frequently needs other imaging modalities for systemic evaluation of disease. The functional image has been used for research and clinical purpose to overcome these shortcomings of the anatomical image, and the importance of functional evaluation of tumors is widely accepted by the introduction of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Most of the PET systems at present are supplied as PET/CT combining functional and anatomical images, altogether. Especially for hepatobiliary tumors, showing a low sensitivity by PET alone, PET/CT will play an important role in determining TNM stage, deciding treatment modality, and evaluating treatment response. In addition, PET/CT as the most advanced molecular image technique has further growing potentials such as the development of a faster PET system, various new PET tracers, etc, which will contribute to improving patient survival and the quality of life.