Role of carbon-11 choline PET/CT in the management of uterine carcinoma: initial experience

• Published in: Annals of nuclear medicine Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 235 - 243
• Main Authors: Sofue, Keitaro, Tateishi, Ukihide, Sawada, Morio, Maeda, Tetsuo, Terauchi, Takashi, Kano, Daisuke, Arai, Yasuaki, Inoue, Tomio, Sugimura, Kazuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Japan 01.05.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Carbon Radioisotopes; Choline - chemistry; Female; Humans; Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Nuclear Medicine; Original Article; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiology; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Uterine Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Uterine Neoplasms - pathology; Uterine Neoplasms - therapy; Uterine; Choline; PET/CT
• ISSN: 0914-7187; 1864-6433
• DOI: 10.1007/s12149-009-0230-z

Purpose The present study was conducted to clarify the role of carbon-11 choline ( 11 C-choline) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the management of uterine carcinoma. Materials and methods Twenty-two patients who underwent 11 C-choline PET/CT and pelvic MRI were evaluated retrospectively. The images were reviewed by a board-certified radiologist and a nuclear medicine specialist who were unaware of any clinical information, and a consensus was reached. Diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT was evaluated for staging. The reference standard consisted of histological examination ( n  = 17) and follow-up conventional CT ( n  = 5). In five patients with cervical carcinoma, 11 C-choline PET/CT was performed before and after treatment that consisted of cisplatin infusion and subsequent radiotherapy. Standardized uptake value (SUV) was compared with uni-dimensional and volumetric measurements that were made on magnetic resonance images (MRI) before and after treatment. Results Based on PET/CT interpretations, the reviewers correctly classified T stage in 8 patients (47%), N stage in 21 patients (96%), M stage in 20 patients (91%), and TNM stage in 15 patients (88%). Tumor size, volume, and SUV decreased after treatment in five patients with cervical carcinoma. Using the Pearson correlation test, a significant correlation was found between the reduction rate of SUV and reduction rate of tumor volume. Conclusions 11 C-choline PET/CT is an accurate means for the management of patients with uterine carcinoma. The combination of 11 C-choline PET/CT and MRI increases the accuracy of staging in patients with uterine carcinoma.