Positron emission tomography: indications in lung cancer - prospective experience of a department.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a new technique in nuclear medicine. It uses biological radiotracers such as (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) which permit the detection of suspected lesions with metabolic alterations that take up the glucose isotope too avidly, as is the case with neoplastic cells. PET has become an innovatory and important imaging tool for evaluating patients with lung cancer. The present recommended uses of PET include lung cancer diagnosis and the intrathoracic and extrathoracic staging in N-SCLC.