Intest Res.  2010 Jun;8(1):18-23. 10.5217/ir.2010.8.1.18.

The Usefulness of F18-FDG PET/CT in Detection of Colonic Neoplasm

• Kang MK
• Hong SP
• Lee JE
• Jeon TJ
• Kim JW
• Kwon CI
• Ko KH
• Hwang SG
• Park PW
• Rim KS

• KMID: 1974726
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2010.8.1.18

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
The diagnostic value of 2-18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET)/CT in the detection of colon carcinoma and adenoma was evaluated retrospectively.
METHODS
Between May 2007 and June 2008, 102 patients (42 males and 60 females: age range, 28-89 years) underwent both FDG PET/CT and colonoscopy in < a 3 month interval. FDG uptake on PET/CT was divided into physiologic and pathologic uptake by a nuclear medicine specialist. Pathologic confirmation was obtained in all patients.
RESULTS
Forty-three patients had no abnormal findings on both FDG PET/CT and colonoscopy. One hundred five and 59 colonic lesions were detected on FDG PET/CT and colonoscopy, respectively. Eleven of 24 lesions with pathologic FDG uptake were histologically-confirmed to be malignancies. Among 18 lesions with physiologic FDG uptake, 1 carcinoma and 1 adenoma were revealed. One carcinoma, 25 adenomas, and 11 hyperplastic polyps did not reveal FDG uptake. Interpretation of pathologic FDG uptake in the colon had a sensitivity of 84.6% and 28.2%, a specificity of 90.4% and 88.1%, a positive predictive value of 45.8% and 45.8%, and a negative predictive value of 98.4% and 77.8% for carcinomas and adenomas, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
FDG PET/CT is a very useful diagnostic method for the detection of colon cancer, but the sensitivity is low for adenomas, which may need further evaluation, such as a screening endoscopy.

Keyword

PET/CT; Colonoscopy; Colonic Neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Adenoma
Colon
Colonic Neoplasms
Colonoscopy
Endoscopy
Humans
Male
Mass Screening
Nuclear Medicine
Polyps
Positron-Emission Tomography
Retrospective Studies
Sensitivity and Specificity
Specialization