18F-FDG PET and PET/CT in the evaluation of cancer treatment response

Abstract

Multimodality imaging, as represented by its greatest exponent, PET/CT, has a firm place in the evaluation of a patient presenting with cancer. With 18F-FDG, PET/CT is rapidly becoming the key investigative tool for the staging and assessment of cancer recurrence. In the last 5 y, PET/CT has also gained widespread acceptance as a key tool used to demonstrate early response to intervention and therapy. In this setting, a major clinical need is being addressed with 18F-FDG PET/CT, because of its inherent ability to demonstrate (before other markers of response) if disease modification has occurred. This review presents available evidence to this effect. Copyright © 2009 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Inc.