PET/CT in abdominal and pelvic malignancies: Principles and practices

Abstract

Current multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) allows for rapid acquisition of data sets with accurate anatomic detail and high spatial resolution. This provides valuable multi-planar information regarding the morphologic features and attenuation values of both normal anatomic structures and pathologic lesions. Since its introduction more than 25 years ago, CT has become widely used and can be considered the modality of choice for much cross-sectional imaging, particularly of oncologic entities. A limitation of CT, however, is its reliance on morphologic changes in the size, shape, or attenuation values of a structure to detect pathologic processes. Therefore, CT is less sensitive in the imaging of early disease processes and in the detection of disease recurrence in tissues that are already morphologically abnormal as a result of treatment. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Milan.