Improved imaging and the clinician: the role of positron emission tomography in the management of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States and Western Europe. Positron emission tomography (PET) has been shown to be a valuable tool for the evaluation of malignancies of the breast, lung, and gastrointestinal tract. Potential areas of utility in patients with colorectal cancer include early detection, improved staging at the time of initial diagnosis, the detection and staging of recurrent disease, and early determination of treatment response. Despite continued advancement in the technical aspects of PET, the true measure of its worth is how well it assists the clinician in the care of the patient. To best use the information provided by PET, the nuclear medicine physician and oncologist must both understand the treatment choices available for patients at various stages in the disease.