PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) when staging different malignant diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, blinded, investigator-initiated study of 260 patients with various oncological diseases who underwent fluorine-18-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose PET/CT for tumor staging. CT images alone, PET images alone, PET + CT data viewed side by side, and fused PET/CT images were evaluated separately according to the tumor-node-metastasis system. One hundred forty patients with tumors not staged according to the tumor-node-metastasis system or a lack of reference standard were excluded from data analysis; 260 patients were included. Diagnostic accuracies were determined for each of the four image sets. Histopathology and a clinical follow-up of 311 (+/- 125) days served as standards of reference. RESULTS: PET/CT proved significantly more accurate in assessing tumor-node-metastasis system stage compared with CT alone, PET alone, and side-by-side PET + CT (P < .0001). Of 260 patients, 218 (84%; 95% CI, 79% to 88%) were correctly staged with PET/CT, 197 (76%; 95% CI, 70% to 81%) with side-by-side PET + CT, 163 (63%; 95% CI, 57% to 69%) with CT alone, and 166 (64%; 95% CI, 58% to 70%) with PET alone. Combined PET/CT had an impact on the treatment plan in 16, 39, and 43 patients when compared with PET + CT, CT alone, and PET alone, respectively. CONCLUSION: Tumor staging with PET/CT is significantly more accurate than CT alone, PET alone, and side-by-side PET + CT. This diagnostic advantage translates into treatment plan changes in a substantial number of patients.
PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) when staging different malignant diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, blinded, investigator-initiated study of 260 patients with various oncological diseases who underwent fluorine-18-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose PET/CT for tumor staging. CT images alone, PET images alone, PET + CT data viewed side by side, and fused PET/CT images were evaluated separately according to the tumor-node-metastasis system. One hundred forty patients with tumors not staged according to the tumor-node-metastasis system or a lack of reference standard were excluded from data analysis; 260 patients were included. Diagnostic accuracies were determined for each of the four image sets. Histopathology and a clinical follow-up of 311 (+/- 125) days served as standards of reference. RESULTS: PET/CT proved significantly more accurate in assessing tumor-node-metastasis system stage compared with CT alone, PET alone, and side-by-side PET + CT (P < .0001). Of 260 patients, 218 (84%; 95% CI, 79% to 88%) were correctly staged with PET/CT, 197 (76%; 95% CI, 70% to 81%) with side-by-side PET + CT, 163 (63%; 95% CI, 57% to 69%) with CT alone, and 166 (64%; 95% CI, 58% to 70%) with PET alone. Combined PET/CT had an impact on the treatment plan in 16, 39, and 43 patients when compared with PET + CT, CT alone, and PET alone, respectively. CONCLUSION:Tumor staging with PET/CT is significantly more accurate than CT alone, PET alone, and side-by-side PET + CT. This diagnostic advantage translates into treatment plan changes in a substantial number of patients.
Authors: Hubert H Chuang; Ferhat Deniz; Kanishka Sircar; Camilo Jimenez; Carlos Rubin De Celis; Christopher G Wood; Mouhammed Amir Habra Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2012-05-29 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: K Pinker; P Brader; G Karanikas; K El-Rabadi; W Bogner; S Gruber; M Reisegger; S Trattnig; T H Helbich Journal: Radiologe Date: 2010-11 Impact factor: 0.635
Authors: Alexandra Lucs; Benjamin Saltman; Christine H Chung; Bettie M Steinberg; David L Schwartz Journal: Head Neck Date: 2012-01-27 Impact factor: 3.147
Authors: Bernd Klaeser; Michel D Mueller; Ralph A Schmid; Carlos Guevara; Thomas Krause; Jakub Wiskirchen Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2009-02-24 Impact factor: 5.315