PANCREATIC-CANCER DETECTED BY POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY WITH F-18 LABELED DEOXYGLUCOSE - METHOD AND 1ST RESULTS

In order to evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) with F-18-labelled deoxyglucose (FDG) for detection of pancreatic can cer 15 patients with pancreatic masses shown by computed tomography we re investigated. Static PET scans covering an axial field of view of 1 5 cm were obtained 45 min after intravenous injection of 150-300 MBq F DG. Focally increased FDG accumulation was present in 12 out of 13 pat ients with histologically proven adenocarcinoma, in particular in eigh t of nine lymph node and four of five liver metastases. Scans of two p atients with chronic pancreatitis confirmed by surgery revealed a norm al FDG distribution. Contrast between tumour and normal tissue depende d the metabolic situation prior to FDG injection. High ratios were fou nd in fasting patients whereas no elevated FDG uptake was measured in an insulin-dependent diabetic suffering from carcinoma of the pancreat ic head. We conclude that FDG PET might have the potential for detecti on and even differentiation of pancreatic carcinoma from chronic pancr eatitis. Further studies are necessary to substantiate these prelimina ry findings and to optimize results in diabetic patients.