Biology of Cancer and PET Imaging: Pictorial Review

Abstract

CE credit: For CE credit, you can access the test for this article, as well as additional JNMT CE tests, online at https://www.snmmilearningcenter.org. Complete the test online no later than June 2025. Your online test will be scored immediately. You may make 3 attempts to pass the test and must answer 75% of the questions correctly to receive Continuing Education Hour (CEH) credit. Credit amounts can be found in the SNMMI Learning Center Activity. SNMMI members will have their CEH credit added to their VOICE transcript automatically; nonmembers will be able to print out a CE certificate upon successfully completing the test. The online test is free to SNMMI members; nonmembers must pay $15.00 by credit card when logging onto the website to take the test.Development and spread of cancer is a multistep and complex process that involves a number of alterations, interactions, and molecular networks. PET imaging is closely related to cancer biology and pathology, as it uses various radiotracers targeting biologic and pathologic changes in cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. In this review article, the biology of the development and spread of cancer and the role of PET imaging in oncology are summarized and supported by various PET images demonstrating patterns of cancer spread.

FDG-PET in HIV-Positive Patient with Extranodal Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

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Phytochemicals Target Multiple Metabolic Pathways in Cancer

“…Enhanced glycolysis is so common in neoplasia that it formed a basis for the approach to detect both primary and secondary tumors in the body by PET/CT. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is a glucose analog that is transported via glucose transporters into the cancer cells followed by hexokinase 2 (HK2)-mediated phosphorylation [24][25][26]. Thus, the areas of malignant growth are detected based on the increase in glucose uptake and utilization.…”