• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.373-379
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• 2007

Purpose : There is difference between PET and PET/CT method on their transmission image for attenuation correction. The CT image is used for attenuation correction on PET/CT and the parameters of CT may be affected on PET image. We performed the phantom study to evaluate whether the change of CT parameters(kilovolts peak and milliampere) affect standardized uptake value(SUV) on PET image. Material and Method: The data spectrum lung phantom containing diluted [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) solution(1.909 mCi for phantom 1, $913\;{\mu}Ci$ for phantom 2) was used. The CT images of phantom were acquired with varying parameters (80, 100, 120, 140 for kVp, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 for mA). The PET images were reconstructed with the each CT images and SUVs were compared. Result : The SUVs of phantom 1 reconstructed with each 80, 100, 120 and 140 kVp showed $12.26{\pm}0.009$, $12.27{\pm}0.005$, $12.27{\pm}0.006$ and $12.27{\pm}0.009$, respectively. The SUVs of phantom 2 revealed $4.52{\pm}0.043$, $4.53{\pm}0.004$, $4.52{\pm}0.007$ and $4.52{\pm}0.005$ with elevation of voltage. There was no statistically significant difference of SUVs between groups based on various kVp. Also SUVs of phantom 1 and 2 showed no significant change with elevation of milliampere in CT parameter. Conclusion : The parameters of CT did not significantly affect SUV on PET image in our study. Therefore we can apply various parameters of CT appropriated for clinical conditions without significant change of SUV on PET CT image.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.4085-4089
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• 2014

Background: Atelectasis is an important prognostic factor that can cause pleuritic chest pain, coughing or dyspnea, and even may be a cause of death. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential impact of atelectasis and PET parameters on survival and the relation between atelectasis and PET parameters. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of patients with lung cancer with or without atelectasis who underwent $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT examination before receiving any treatment. $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT derived parameters including tumor size, SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV, total lesion glycosis (TLG), SUV mean of atelectasis area, atelectasis volume, and histological and TNM stage were considered as potential prognostic factors for overall survival. Results: Fifty consecutive lung cancer patients (22 patients with atelectasis and 28 patients without atelectasis, median age of 65 years) were evaluated in the present study. There was no relationship between tumor size and presence or absence of atelectasis, nor between presence/absence of atelectasis and TLG of primary tumors. The overall one-year survival rate was 83% and median survival was 20 months (n=22) in the presence of atelectasis; the overall one-year survival rate was 65.7% (n=28) and median survival was 16 months (p=0.138) in the absence of atelectasis. With respect to PFS; the one-year survival rate of AT+ patients was 81.8% and median survival was 19 months; the one-year survival rate of AT-patients was 64.3% and median survival was 16 months (p=0.159). According to univariate analysis, MTV, TLG and tumor size were significant risk factors for PFS and OS (p<0.05). However, SUVmax was not a significant factor for PFS and OS (p>0.05). Conclusions: The present study suggested that total lesion glycolysis and metabolic tumor volume were important predictors of survival in lung cancer patients, in contrast to SUVmax. In addition, having a segmental lung atelectasis seems not to be a significant factor on survival.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2024

Purpose: ¹⁸F-FET, a radiopharmaceutical based on a Tyrosine amino acid derivative using the Sodium-Potassium Pump-independent Transporter (System L) for non-invasive evaluation of primary, recurrent, and metastatic brain tumors, exhibits distinct characteristics. Unlike the widely absorbed ¹⁸F-FDG in both tumor and normal brain tissues, ¹⁸F-FET demonstrates specific uptake only in tumor tissue while almost negligible uptake in normal brain tissue. This study aims to compare and evaluate the usefulness of ¹⁸F-FDG and ¹⁸F-FET Brain PET/CT quantitative analysis in brain tumor diagnosis. Materials and Methods: In 46 patients diagnosed with brain gliomas (High Grade: 34, Low Grade: 12), Brain PET/CT scans were performed at 40 minutes after ¹⁸F-FDG injection and at 20 minutes (early) and 80 minutes (delay) after ¹⁸F-FET injection. SUV_max and SUV_peak of tumor areas corresponding to MRI images were measured in each scan, and the SUV_max-to-SUV_peak ratio, an indicator of tumor prognosis, was calculated. Differences in SUV_max, SUV_peak, and SUV_max-to-SUV_peak ratio between ¹⁸F-FDG and ¹⁸F-FET early/delay scans were statistically verified using SPSS (ver.28) package program. Results: SUV_max values were 3.72±1.36 for ¹⁸F-FDG, 4.59±1.55 for ¹⁸F-FET early, and 4.12±1.36 for ¹⁸F-FET delay scans. The highest SUV_max was observed in ¹⁸F-FET early scans, particularly in HG tumors (4.85±1.44), showing a slightly more significant difference (P<0.0001). SUV_peak values were 3.33±1.13 for ¹⁸F-FDG, 3.04±1.11 for ¹⁸F-FET early, and 2.80±0.96 for ¹⁸F-FET delay scans. The highest SUV_peak was in ¹⁸F-FDG scans, while the lowest was in ¹⁸F-FET delay scans, with a more significant difference in HG tumors (P<0.001). SUV_max-to-SUV_peak ratio values were 1.11±0.09 for ¹⁸F-FDG, 1.54±0.22 for ¹⁸F-FET early, and 1.48±0.17 for ¹⁸F-FET delay scans. This ratio was higher in ¹⁸F-FET scans for both HG and LG tumors (P<0.0001), but there was no statistically significant difference between ¹⁸F-FET early and delay scans. Conclusion: This study confirms the usefulness of early and delay scans in ¹⁸F-FET Brain PET/CT examinations, particularly demonstrating the changes in objective quantitative metrics such as SUV_max, SUV_peak, and introducing the SUV_max-to-SUV_peak ratio as a new evaluation metric based on the degree of tumor malignancy. This is expected to further contributions to the quantitative analysis of Brain PET/CT images.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2018

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the changes of uptake around the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) according to 18F-FDG PET images in patients with head and neck cancer who underwent neck dissection. Materials & Methods: Retrospectively, the medical records of patients who received selective or comprehensive neck dissection were reviewed. Preoperative and 1-year postoperative 18F-FDG PET images, if available, were analyzed by nuclear medicine physicians in both qualitative and quantitative manners. Correlation between the changes of uptake around SCJ and perioperative data were statistically analyzed. Results: Thirty-seven patients satisfying the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Seven patients with increased uptake around SCJ on 1-year postoperative 18F-FDG PET showed a correlation with radical or comprehensive neck dissection, accessory nerve sacrifice, and high postoperative SUVmax. When 20 patients with increased uptake around SCJ according to quantitative measurement were compared with other patients without increased uptake, no parameter was significantly different, except postoperative SUVmax. Bivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the clinical symptom (shoulder or sternal pain) was significantly correlated with the extent of neck dissection (OR 0.227, CI 0.053-0.966, p=0.045) and spinal accessory nerve sacrifice (OR 13.500, CI 1.189-153.331, p=0.036). Conclusions: Increased uptake around SCJ on 1-year postoperative 18 F-FDG PET was correlated with either the radical or comprehensive procedure, as well as with accessory nerve sacrifice. This suggests that subjective analysis of 18F-FDG PET can be used to detect subclinical shoulder instability.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3525-3531
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• 2014

Objective: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) is a new technique for identifying different malignant tumors using different uptake values between tumor cells and normal tissues. Here we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG-PET in patients with testicular cancer by pooling data of existing trials in a meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Central Trials databases were searched and studies published in English relating to the diagnostic value of FDG-PET for testicular cancer were collected. The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was used to examine the FDG-PET accuracy. Results: A total of 16 studies which included 957 examinations in 807 patients (median age, 31.1 years) were analyzed. A meta-analysis was performed to combine the sensitivity and specificity and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), from diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), positive likelihood ratios (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR). SROC were derived to demonstrate the diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET for testicular cancer. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70-0.80) and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84-0.89), respectively. The pooled DOR was 35.6 (95% CI, 12.9-98.3). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.88. The pooled PLR and pooled NLR were 7.80 (95% CI, 3.73-16.3) and 0.31 (95% CI, 0.23-0.43), respectively. Conclusion: In patients with testicular cancer, 18F-FDG-PET demonstrated a high SROC area, and could be a potentially useful tool if combined with other imaging methods such as MRI and CT. Nevertheless, the literature focusing on the use of 18F-FDG-PET in this setting still remains limited.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.127-133
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• 2014

Purpose: Low dose of PET/CT is important because of Patient's X-ray exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose PET/ CT image through the CTAC and QAC of patient study and phantom study. Materials and Methods: We used the discovery 710 PET/CT (GE). We used the NEMA IEC body phantom for evaluating the PET data corrected by ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction method and NU2-94 phantom for uniformity. After injection of 70.78 MBq and 22.2 MBq of 18 F-FDG were done to each of phantom, PET/CT scans were obtained. PET data were reconstructed by using of CTAC of which dose was for the diagnosis CT and Q. AC of which was only for attenuation correction. Quantitative analysis was performed by use of horizontal profile and vertical profile. Reference data which were corrected by CTAC were compared to PET data which was corrected by the ultra-low dose. The relative error was assessed. Patients with over weighted and normal weight also underwent a PET/CT scans according to low dose protocol and standard dose protocol. Relative error and signal to noise ratio of SUV were analyzed. Results: In the results of phantom test, phantom PET data were corrected by CTAC and Q.AC and they were compared each other. The relative error of Q.AC profile was been calculated, and it was shown in graph. In patient studies, PET data for overweight patient and normal weight patient were reconstructed by CTAC and Q.AC under routine dose and ultra-low dose. When routine dose was used, the relative error was small. When high dose was used, the result of overweight patient was effectively corrected by Q.AC. Conclusion: In phantom study, CTAC method with 80 kVp and 10 mA was resulted in bead hardening artifact. PET data corrected by ultra- low dose CTAC was not quantified, but those by the same dose were quantified properly. In patients' cases, PET data of over weighted patient could be quantified by Q.AC method. Its relative difference was not significant. Q.AC method was proper attenuation correction method when ultra-low dose was used. As a result, it is expected that Q.AC is a good method in order to reduce patient's exposure dose.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10057-10059
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• 2015

Positron emission tomography (PET) as the functional component of current hybrid imaging (like PET/CT or PET/MRI) seems to dominate the horizon of medical imaging in coming decades. $^{18}$Flourodeoxyglucose ($^{18}FDG$) is the most commonly used probe in oncology and also in cardiology and neurology around the globe. However, the major capital cost and exorbitant running expenditure of low to medium energy cyclotrons (about 20 MeV) and radiochemistry units are the seminal reasons of low number of cyclotrons but mushroom growth pattern of PET scanners. This fact and longer half-life of $^{18}F$ (110 minutes) have paved the path of a centralized model in which $^{18}FDG$ is produced by commercial PET radiopharmacies and the finished product (multi-dose vial with tungsten shielding) is dispensed to customers having only PET scanners. This indeed reduced the cost but has limitations of dependence upon timely arrival of daily shipments as delay caused by any reason results in cancellation or rescheduling of the PET procedures. In recent years, industry and academia have taken a step forward by producing low energy, table top cyclotrons with compact and automated radiochemistry units (Lab-on-Chip). This decentralized strategy enables the users to produce on-demand doses of PET probe themselves at reasonably low cost using an automated and user-friendly technology. This technological development would indeed provide a real impetus to the availability of complete set up of PET based molecular imaging at an affordable cost to the developing countries.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.567-575
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• 2017

In this study, when diagnosis pancreatic cancer by dual time point PET/CT, we propose SUVm 2.52 as the threshold value for performing the dual time point PET/CT exam. The hypothesis of normal distribution was adopted through data conversion of 60 pancreatic diseases. The proposed SUVm2.52 boundary value showed a significance level that could be applied to both 120 and 180 minutes of delay time scan for pancreatic cancer determination (p<0.05). C-value variation shows that delay time 2 hour test is more useful than delay time 3 hour test. When the SUVm 2.52 is set to the boundary value and the double-time point PET/CT exam is performed, the probability of distinguishing cancer from inflammation in the delayed image is 95%. When the delayed test is performed with the proposed boundary value SUVm 2.52, Compared with general PET / CT scans, it is thought that it may be helpful to distinguish pancreatic cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 1997

About one-third of radiologically indeterminate solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) are eventually turned out to be malignant. It is very important to noninvasively determine whether the SPN is malignant or not for the decision of its way of management. PET imaging is highlighted by its unique ability of imaging the function and metabolism of cells. Glucose metabolism is increased in malignant transformed cells. We peformed FDG-PET studies in patients who had radiologically indeterminate SPN and compared the findings with histologic diagnoses to assess the diagnostic accuracy in the detection of malignancy and to decide which parameter is the most suitable for clinical practice among peak SUV (pSUV), average SUV (aSUV), 50/10 ratio, and time-activity curve (TAC), Thirty patients were included in this study and the most useful parameter was pSUV. The sensitivity and specificity in the detection of malignant SPN using 3.5 as a cut off pSUV were both 87%. Interestingly, all 2 false-negative cases were bronch-ioloalveolar carcinoma on histologic examination. If these cases, which could be strongly suspected by CT findings, were excluded, the sensitivity of pSUV was 100%. In conclusion, PET imaging is very helpful for determining malignancy in indeterminate SPN and pSUV is a conveniently measurable parameter which is valuable for interpretation.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.553-560
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• 2018

PET-CT and PET-MRI which integrates CT using ionized radiation and MRI using phenomena of magnetic resonance are determined to have the limitation to apply the semi-quantitative index, standardized uptake value (SUV), with the same level due to the fundamental differences of image capturing principle and reorganization, hence, their correlations were analyzed to provide their clinical information. To 30 study subjects maintaining pre-treatment, $^{18}F-FDG$ (5.18 MBq/㎏) was injected and they were scanned continuously without delaying time using $Biograph^{TM}$ mMR 3T (Siemens, Munich) and Biograph mCT 64 (Siemens, Germany), which is an integral type, under the optimized condition except the structural differences of both scanners. Upon the measurement results of $SUV_{max}$ setting volume region of interest with evenly distributed radioactive pharmaceuticals by captured images, $SUV_{max}$ mean values of PET-CT and PET-MRI were $2.94{\pm}0.55$ and $2.45{\pm}0.52$, respectively, and the value of PET-MRI was measured lower by $-20.85{\pm}7.26%$ than that of PET-CT. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in SUVs between two scanners (P<0.001), hence, SUV of PET-CT and PET-MRI cannot express the clinical meanings in the same level. Therefore, in case of the patients who undergo cross follow-up tests with PET-CT and PET-MRI, diagnostic information should be analyzed considering the conditions of SUV differences in both scanners.