An update on the role of PET/CT and PET/MRI in ovarian cancer

• Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 1079 - 1091
• Main Authors: Khiewvan, Benjapa, Torigian, Drew A., Emamzadehfard, Sahra, Paydary, Koosha, Salavati, Ali, Houshmand, Sina, Werner, Thomas J., Alavi, Abass
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cardiology; Female; Humans; Imaging; Lymphatic system; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Medical diagnosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metastasis; Neoplasm Staging; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Nuclear Medicine; Oncology; Orthopedics; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Ovarian Neoplasms - therapy; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography - methods; Prognosis; Radiology; Recurrence; Review Article; Tomography; PET/MRI; Oncologic imaging; PET/CT; Ovarian cancer
• ISSN: 1619-7070; 1619-7089
• DOI: 10.1007/s00259-017-3638-z

This review article summarizes the role of PET/CT and PET/MRI in ovarian cancer. With regard to the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, the presence of FDG uptake within the ovary of a postmenopausal woman raises the concern for ovarian cancer. Multiple studies show that FDG PET/CT can detect lymph node and distant metastasis in ovarian cancer with high accuracy and may, therefore, alter the management to obtain better clinical outcomes. Although PET/CT staging is superior for N and M staging of ovarian cancer, its role is limited for T staging. Additionally, FDG PET/CT is of great benefit in evaluating treatment response and has prognostic value in patients with ovarian cancer. FDG PET/CT also has value to detect recurrent disease, particularly in patients with elevated serum CA-125 levels and negative or inconclusive conventional imaging test results. PET/MRI may beneficial for tumor staging because MRI has higher soft tissue contrast and no ionizing radiation exposure compared to CT. Some non-FDG PET radiotracers such as 18 F-fluorothymidine (FLT) or 11 C-methionine (MET) have been studied in preclinical and clinical studies as well and may play a role in the evaluation of patients with ovarian cancer.