Recent applications of nuclear medicine in diagnostics (I part)

Abstract

Introduction: Aim of this review is to describe the recent applications of nuclear medicine techniques in diagnostics, particularly in oncology. Materials and methods: We reviewed scientific literature data searching for the current role of tomographic nuclear medicine techniques (SPECTand PET) in oncology and summarized the main applications of these techniques. Results: Nuclear medicine techniques have a key role in oncology allowing early diagnosis of many tumours, an accurate staging of disease and evalutation of treatment response. Hybrid SPECT/CT and PET/CT imaging systems now provide metabolic and functional information from SPECTor PETcombined with the high spatial resolution and anatomic information of CT. The most frequent applications of SPECT/CT in oncology concern thyroid tumours, neuroendocrine tumours, bone metastases and lymph node mapping. Furthermore the evaluation of many tumours may benefit from PET/CT imaging. Discussion: The recent development of new radiopharmaceuticals and the growth of hybrid tomographic devices, such as SPECT/CT and PET/CT, now permits molecular imaging of biologic processes at the cellular level to improve both the diagnosis and treatment of many tumours.

Cost-effectiveness of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in tumours other than lung cancer: A systematic review

“…FDG is a glucose analogue which is trapped by cells via the glucose transporters; tumour cells usually show increased glucose metabolism and consequently an increased FDG uptake compared to normal cells. This characteristic allows the visualization of tumour cells by using PET imaging [1] . To date, oncology is the most important application of FDG-PET and PET/CT.…”

“…To date, oncology is the most important application of FDG-PET and PET/CT. The role of FDG-PET or PET/CT in oncology is to stage or restage tumours, to evaluate tumour response to treatment, to define patient prognosis, to guide surgery and radiotherapy [1] . FDG-PET and PET/CT have high costs; therefore it is mandatory to combine the effectiveness evaluation of these methods with economic assessment in different oncologic indications, in order to establish the correct usefulness of these methods in different clinical scenarios [2] .…”

Diagnostic Performance of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Imaging in Uterine Sarcomas

“…The increased glucose metabolism encountered in many tumors makes 18 F-FDG PET a suitable imaging method in oncology. 10 Thus far, several studies have evaluated the diagnostic performance of 18 F-FDG PET or PET/CT in patients with uterine sarcoma. In the current study, we reviewed the available literature on this topic and presented the results in systematic review and meta-analysis format.…”

Bone Marrow Involvement in Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas: The Role of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography

“…Since Hodgkin and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas show an intense glucose metabolism and therefore a high FDG uptake [9], FDG PET/CT can be helpful in both nodal and extra-nodal staging of lymphoma, including the bone marrow assessment. A major advantage of FDG PET/CT is its non-invasiveness, with respect to BMB; furthermore, its ability to study the entire bone marrow overcomes the false-negative findings of BMB in case of sampling error, rather being used as a possible substitute for BMB or as a guide to perform a targeted biopsy in sites showing intramedullary focal uptake of FDG.…”

“…Positron emission tomography/computed tomography using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG PET/CT) is a diagnostic technique which is currently used in a variety of oncological settings [9]. Since Hodgkin and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas show an intense glucose metabolism and therefore a high FDG uptake [9], FDG PET/CT can be helpful in both nodal and extra-nodal staging of lymphoma, including the bone marrow assessment.…”