Technical Principles, Radiation Safety, and Image Interpretation

Abstract

The role of positron emission tomography (PET) in clinical practice is increasing. Clinical decisions based on PET studies are changing patient management by adding functional information to that obtained from conventional morphologic modalities. Focal areas of abnormally increased fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake are considered suspicious for malignant disease, as metabolic changes often precede the anatomic changes associated with disease. Disease management depends on the tumor type, extent and aggressiveness of the lesion, and on local and distant metastases. Whole-body FDG PET is becoming a standard procedure for the imaging of cancer, and FDG PET can play a significant role in establishing therapeutic response.