AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001 Jun;176(6):1449-54
Clinical value of positron emission tomography with fdg for recurrent ovarian
cancer.
Nakamoto Y, Saga T, Ishimori T, Mamede M, Togashi K, Higuchi T, Mandai M, Fujii
S, Sakahara H, Konishi J.
OBJECTIVE: Recurrence is often a major problem for patients who have undergone
surgery for ovarian cancer. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate
the clinical contribution of positron emission tomography (PET) using
(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) for recurrent ovarian cancer. SUBJECTS AND
METHODS: Twenty-four women who had undergone surgery or chemoradiotherapy for
histopathologically proven ovarian cancer were enrolled in this study. Ovarian
cancer was thought to have recurred in 12 of these women because of evidence on
conventional imaging modalities or tumor marker measurements (group A). Clinical
findings for the remaining 12 women showed them to be disease-free (group B).
PET findings for the women were compared with the final diagnoses obtained by
histopathology or by clinical follow-up. The clinical contribution of PET was
assessed by evaluating whether PET yielded information complementing the
findings of conventional modalities and by examining its impact on treatment.
RESULTS: PET gave valuable information for seven of 12 patients in group A in
addition to the information obtained from findings on conventional imaging, and
treatment was affected in five patients. On the other hand, in group B,
additional information was obtained in only three of 12 patients, and treatment
of only one patient was affected. Overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy
of conventional imaging modalities were 72.7%, 75.0%, and 73.3%, respectively,
and these rates improved to 92.3%, 100.0%, and 94.4%, respectively, by
considering both conventional imaging modalities and PET findings.
CONCLUSION:Our preliminary data suggest that whole-body PET with FDG can be a
complementary modality for following up patients who have had ovarian cancer,
especially patients believed to be at risk for recurrence.
