| How does PET-CT (Positron emission tomography - computed
tomography) work in health checkup? |
|
 PET-CT
works in the diagnostic work-up of FDG metabolic mapping. In general
tumor checkups, an intravenous injection of FDG (Fluorodeoxyglucose)
is in common using as a trace.
Glucose plays an important role of cells metabolism in our body, so
that human body normally absorbs FDG as well.
However, it is proved that some malignant tumors have a higher metabolic
rate and larger capacity of glucose by clinical reports. After 1~2
hours, scanned through PET-CT device to detect malignant tumor in
the early stage. |
| |
| FDG injection¡÷malignant tumor cells absorb much more
FDG¡÷marked images are the lesion with malignant tumor cells. |
| |
| Traditional PET¡GOnly scanned
out approximate position of malignant tumor. |
| |
New generation PET-CT¡G
Computed tomography assists to orientate the position of malignant
tumor, and the advantages combine with time saving and image clearing. |
|
| A. Distinguish benign or malignant
tumor |
| FDG also can be used to diagnosis single lung cyst,
separate spleen infection from spleen cancer, and patient suspected
with breast cancer if fail breast biopsy. Through FDG SUV (standardized
uptake value) to distinguish benign or malignant tumor because of
malignant tumor can intake higher FDG than benign tumor. |
| |
| B. The stages of cancer before
surgery |
| Successful treatment depends on correct cancer stages.
FDG imaging is effective to detect early metastasis lesions and correct
cancer stages in order to choose suitable treatment when the value
of blood tumor marker is high, big cancer mass, or rule out metastasis
cancer by traditional image checkup. |
| |
| C. Distinguish the tissues which
are cancer recurrences or scars just after radiation treatment |
| FDG applied in distinguish brain cancer recurrence or
scar tissues after radiation treatment in 1980's. FDG uptake value
is higher in brain cancer recurrence than scar tissues as well. It
is also valuable about FDG applied in detecting lung cancer, colon
and rectum cancer, lymph cancer and cancer of head and neck in some
records. |
| |
| D. PET-CT detect not only cancer
recurrence but also metastasis |
| After cancer treatment, the values of blood tumor marker
usually increase cause from recurrence or metastasis both in original
and metastasis lesions not easy to detect by traditional image checkup.
PET-CT detects not only cancer recurrence but also metastasis. |
| |
| E. Follow up after chemotherapy |
| Clinical literature had proved that FDG is used to confirm
through the value of FDG intake whether chemotherapy is effective
or not. A breast cancer patient showed FDG intake decrease by SUV
with two effective chemotherapy courses even though the value of cancer
lesion still not reduced. It avoided unnecessary chemotherapy side
effects if using not effective chemo drugs as well as tried other
chemotherapies to get better result. |
| |
| F. Prognosis assessment |
| Brain tumor was prognosticated by FDG intake value in
the beginning. The higher FDG intake, the worse situations of tumor
prove. FDG intake is an important indicator to detect metastasis of
cancer as well as assess the effective of chemotherapy. |
