January 13, 2009

Uptake of 18F-FDG Tracer for Oncologic PET


Tumors with moderate-to-high uptake on FDG-PET are illustrated in red. Prostate cancer has unpredictable uptake (blue)

18F-FDG = 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose

  • Most widely used tracer in oncologic PET
  • Only PET tracer approved by US FDA for routine clinical use
  • Biologic analogue = Glucose
  • Glucose is used in aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis, glucose consumption or metabolism
Oncologic Applications of 18F-FDG PET
  • Tumor uptake is related to increased and insufficient use of glucose by tumor cells
  • Moderate-to-high uptake in most lung, colorectal, esophageal, stomach, head and neck, ovarian and breast cancers
  • Variable uptake in thyroid, testicular, hepatocellular, renal, bladder, sarcoma and neuroendocrine tumors
  • Unpredictable uptake in prostate cancer
Limitations
Not tumor specific, uptake can be seen in benign processes that have increased glucose use in cells (inflammatory cells, hyperplastic marrow, thymic cells)

Reference:
Juweid ME and Cheson BD. Positron-emission tomography and assessment of cancer therapy. New Engl J Med 2006;354:496.

1 comment: