The usefulness of PET/CT in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Accurate staging is essential for the optimal management and treatment of these patients. Positron emission tomography (PET) and, more recently, PET/CT have been introduced into the diagnostic algorithms for oncologic patients because they pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inRadiología Vol. 51; no. 3; p. 248
Main Authors Pinilla, I, Gómez León, N
Format Journal Article
LanguageSpanish
Published Spain 01.05.2009
Subjects
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnosis
False Negative Reactions
False Positive Reactions
Humans
Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis
Neoplasm Staging
Positron-Emission Tomography
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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Summary:Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Accurate staging is essential for the optimal management and treatment of these patients. Positron emission tomography (PET) and, more recently, PET/CT have been introduced into the diagnostic algorithms for oncologic patients because they provide valuable functional information. The hybrid PET/CT technique acquires both anatomic (CT) and metabolic (PET) images in a single session, combining the benefits of each modality and minimizing their limitations. This article reviews the role of PET/CT in lung cancer staging, with emphasis on non-small cell carcinoma, evaluating the advantages and limitations of the technique. Other applications of the technique, such as planning radiotherapy, are also discussed.
ISSN:0033-8338
DOI:10.1016/j.rx.2009.01.007