Diagnostic performances of [18F]fluorocholine positron emission tomography in brain tumors

The Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging : Official Publication of the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine (AIMN) [and] the International Association of Radiopharmacology (IAR), [and] Section of the Society of Radiopharmaceutica
Martina SolliniAnnibale Versari

Abstract

Brain tumors characterization by molecular imaging that allows the depiction of brain lesions metabolic pattern is crucial. Our study aimed to: 1) to evaluate the diagnostic performances of [18F]fluoroethylcholine positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FECH PET/CT), and 2) correlate PET imaging derived parameters of [18F]FECH to survival in brain tumors. From 2009 to 2012, we enrolled 30 patients who underwent [18F]FECH PET/CT. Final diagnosis was established by clinical and radiological follow-up. Final diagnosis was consistent with tumor disease in 27/30 cases. In 3/30 cases tumor disease was ruled out. [18F]FECH PET/CT resulted true positive and negative in 21/30 and 9/30 patients, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of [18F]FECH PET/CT were 78%, 100%, 100%, 33%, and 80%, respectively. Mean and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmean and SUVmax) resulted statistically correlated to histology (P=0.0255 and P=0.0222, respectively). Using a SUVmax cut-off of 2.0 or 3.2, we distinguished between low- and high-grade gliomas with a good specificity (70% and 80%, respectively). SUVmax and histology resulted correlated to overall survival and di...Continue Reading

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