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Comparison of 11 C‐acetate positron emission tomography and 67 Gallium citrate scintigraphy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Li Shuren,
Beheshti Mohsen,
PeckRadosavljevic Markus,
Oezer Simon,
Grumbeck Elke,
Schmid Monika,
Hamilton Gerhard,
Kapiotis Stylianos,
Dudczak Robert,
Kletter Kurt
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2006.01335.x
Subject(s) - scintigraphy , nuclear medicine , medicine , positron emission tomography , hepatocellular carcinoma , isotopes of gallium , tomography , emission computed tomography , radiology
Aims: Nuclear imaging may have an increasing role in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to compare prospectively the Gallium‐67 citrate ( 67 Ga) scintigraphy results with those obtained by positron emission tomography (PET) using 11 C‐acetate in patients with HCC. Methods: We prospectively analysed 21 patients (mean age, 64±11 years) with histopathologically verified HCC undergoing 11 C‐acetate PET and 67 Ga scintigraphy. 67 Ga scans were not performed in three of these 21 patients due to the exacerbation of the disease. Whole‐body 11 C‐acetate PET were performed following intravenous injection of 850 MBq of 11 C‐acetate. For 67 Ga scintigraphy, whole‐body, planar and single photon emission computed tomography imaging acquisitions were performed after intravenous application of a mean dose of 189 MBq 67 Ga. Results:67 Ga scintigraphy found abnormalities only in 10 of 18 patients (56%) and detected 22 of 46 clinically involved sites (48%); it was false‐positive in two patients. 11 C‐acetate PET found abnormalities in 14 of 18 patients (78%) and detected 36 of 46 clinical lesions (78%); it was false‐positive in one patients. In one patient with left supraclavicular lymph node metastases, neither the 67 Ga scintigraphy nor the conventional computed tomography have shown the lesions, which were clearly demonstrated by the 11 C‐acetate PET. Conclusion: Our results indicate significantly higher sensitivity and specificity of 11 C‐acetate PET than 67 Ga scan in detection of HCC lesions. This study suggests that imaging with 11 C‐acetate PET might play a potential role in the diagnostic workup of patients with HCC.