TUMOR EXTENT OF SLOWLY PROGRESSIVE OLIGODENDROGLIOMA DETERMINED BY F-18 FLUOROPHENYLALANINE POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY

We report the use of positron emission tomography (PET) and F-18-fluor ophenylalanine (F-18-Phe) to determine the extent of a slowly progress ive oligodendroglioma, which gradually grew over 10 years after the on set of convulsions. The tumor exhibited intense accumulation of F-18-P he and was easily distinguished from the surrounding brain tissue. The tumor lesion indicated by F-18-phe PET was more extensive than the le sion detected by computerized tomography (CT) and was comparable to th e hypointense lesion detected by T2- weighted magnetic resonance imagi ng (MRI). The tumor, a histologically verified oligodendroglioma, was extensively resected, and its extent corresponded to the high uptake r egion of F-18-Phe. The accuracy of the F-18-Phe PET technique for dete rmining the extent of a tumor is valuable and will aid in the selectio n of an appropriate therapy modality for the management of oligodendro gliomas. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.