Clinical evaluation of focused high-resolution breast PET

Abstract

Breast cancer has high incidence among women worldwide. Previous studies indicate that conventional whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) can be used to detect metastasis in patients with breast cancer. However, it may not perform well in the assessment of the primary site, mainly due to limited spatial resolution. To circumvent this limitation, some groups have developed high-resolution PET systems that are specifically designed for breast evaluation. In this chapter, we review features of dedicated breast PET systems and present examples of clinical studies performed thus far. These include our clinical experiences with a comprehensive breast PET system, using a ring-shaped scanner. Future developments related to specific breast PET systems are also discussed.