Value of whole body 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomographyin the evaluation of recurrent cervical cancer

To evaluate the clinical value of whole body positron emission tomography ( PET) with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) in recurrent cervical cancer, the records of 20 patients who underwent FDG-PET scans were reviewed to detect local recurrence, pelvic/para-aortic lymph node metastases and distal meta stases. The final diagnosis was based on operative, histopathological findi ngs or clinical follow-up for longer than one year. FDG-PET accurately dete cted 18 patients with recurrent diseases (12 patients with local recurrence s, 16 patients with pelvic lymph node metastases, 14 patients with para-aor tic lymph node metastases and 4 patients with distal metastases Of other si tes). However, 2 patients with local recurrences had false-negative FDG-PET results as well as I patient without local recurrence and I patient withou t pelvic lymph node metastases who had false-positive FDG-PET results. The overall sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET for patients were 90% and 10 0%, for local recurrence were 86% and 92%, for pelvic lymph node metastases were 100% and 94%, for para-aortic lymph node metastases were 100% and 100 % and for distal metastases were 100% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion , whole body FDG-PET is a useful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of recur rent cervical cancer. It appears to be promising for detecting recurrent ce rvical cancer, lymph node metastases and distal metastases.