Ability of FDG‐PET/CT in the detection of gallbladder cancer

Purpose To assess the value of FDG‐PET/CT in the evaluation of gallbladder carcinomas (GBC). Methods A prospective cohort of patients with suspicion of or confirmed GBC was studied with FDG‐PET/CT. Diagnostic accuracy parameters were calculated in comparison with pathology and/or the clinical course of patients. Clinical impact of PET/CT imaging was estimated. Results Forty‐nine patients were enrolled (34 malignant tumors, 15 benign lesions; 37 staging, 12 restaging). Overall diagnostic accuracy was 95.9% for the diagnosis of the primary lesion, 85.7% for lymph node involvement and 95.9% for metastatic disease. Mean SUV max in malignant gallbladder lesions was 7.92 ± 6.25 Analysis of ROC curves showed a SUV max cut‐off value of 3.62 for malignancy (S: 78.1%; Sp: 88.2%). Diagnostic accuracy in the restaging group reached 100%. FDG‐PET/CT changed the management of 22.4% of the population. Comments Diagnosis of malignancy or benignity of suspicious gallbladder lesions is accurately made with FDG PET/CT, allowing a precise staging of GBC due to its ability to identify unsuspected metastatic disease. SUV max has a complementary role in addition to visual analysis. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:218–224 . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.