IN-VIVO ASSESSMENT OF GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA WITH FDG-PET

The present study was designed to assess glucose metabolism in hepatoc ellular carcinoma (HCC) with PET and [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) an d to compare the results with the measured in vitro enzymatic activity of glucose metabolism and the histologic grading of HCC. Methods: Dyn amic FDG-PET scans were obtained in 17 preoperative patients with HCC. From the serial tissue and arterial radioactivities obtained by dynam ic PET, FDG kinetic rate constants (K1 to k4) were obtained. The stand ardized uptake value (SUV) was also determined from the images acquire d 48 to 60 min after FDG administration. These PET results were compar ed with hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activities and h istologic grading of HCC in surgically resected tumor materials. Accor ding to histologic grading, the tumors were divided into low-grade and high-grade HCCs. Results: The k3 and SUV of high-grade HCCs were sign ificantly higher than those of low-grade HCCs (p < 0.005, each). In ad dition, high correlations were observed between the hexokinase activit ies and these two parameters (r = 0.715 0.768, respectively). In some HCCs, relatively high G6Pase activities and k4 values modified tumor F DG uptake. Conclusion: FDG PET is a valuable method for assessing gluc ose metabolism and histologic grading of HCC.