Role of positron emission tomography in the management of breast cancer

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging modality that utilises tra cers based on biologically important compounds and can be used to study in vivo tissue function. This article reviews the current status of PET imagin g in breast disease. The positron emitting glucose analogue F-18-FDG is use d to image tissue glycolysis and has been extensively evaluated. Studies ha ve shown that F-18-FDG PET has a high sensitivity and specificity for the d etection of primary breast cancers, however its use is not superior that of conventional imaging modalities. Considerable interest is now focussing on the application of PET to non-invasively determine the lymph node status o f patients with breast cancer and to predict and evaluate tumour response t o chemotherapy. Relatively low cost gamma camera systems are now available that are capable of PET imaging, and thus it may therefore be possible to p erform PET imaging in the majority of hospitals. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishe rs Ltd.