• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.543-556
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• 2009

Purpose: We studied the patterns of FDG uptake of primary papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMCa) lesions and benign thyroid nodules in dual time point $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT imaging. Materials and Methods: Consecutive 134 patients (154 lesions) with PTMCa and 49 patients (61 nodules) with benign thyroid nodules equal to or less than 1.0 cm who underwent dual time point $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT study before surgery were enrolled. We calculated the maximum standardized uptake value of PTMCa and benign nodules in both time points, and percent change of SUVmax (${\Delta}%SUVmax$) and lesion to background ratio of SUVmax (${\Delta}L:B$% ratio) between both time points. The mean time interval between scans was $23.4{\pm}4.4$ minutes (thyroid to thyroid interval: $10.7{\pm}4.4$ minutes). Results: The mean of SUVmax of PTMCa was increased from $4.9{\pm}4.3$ to $5.3{\pm}4.7$ (p<0.001) and ${\Delta}%SUVmax$ was $12.3{\pm}23.6%$. But, the mean of SUVmax of benign nodules was no definite change ($2.1{\pm}1.0$ to $2.1{\pm}1.3$, p=0.686) and ${\Delta}%SUVmax$ was $-0.3{\pm}20.5%$. Of the 154 PTMCa, 100 nodules (64.9%) showed an increase in SUVmax over time, while 19 (31.1%) of the 61 benign thyroid nodules showed an increase (p<0.001). The dual time point $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT found more PTMCa in visual assessment (62.3% vs. 76.6%, p=0.006), even in smaller than 0.5 cm (38.6% vs. 60.0%, p=0.011). Conclusion: Dual time time $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT imaging was more useful than single time point $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT imaging for distinction between PTMCa and benign nodule, especially when nodule showed equivocal or negative findings in single time point $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT imaging or was smaller than 0.5 cm.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.137-139
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• 2008

Wilms Tumor is a great therapeutic success story within pediatric oncology. Therefore, accurate initial staging is needed to assess tumor spread and to assign patients appropriately to the different risk branches. However, it is recognized that FDG-PET can provide useful information about tumor and has better accuracy than CT and MRI for staging, but its role in Wilms tumor is unclear. According to clinical research data, FDG PET may be useful for the management of selected patients with Wilms tumors.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2008

The prevalence of pancreas cancer is increasing. Due to difficulty in detecting early stage disease, the prognosis of pancreas cancer is known to be poor. Clinical use of FDG PET in pancreas has been reported. FDG PET showed good performance in diagnosing pancreas cancer, and is expected to be useful in staging and detecting recurrence.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2007

This review focuses on the use of $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT to evaluate second primary cancers. The emergence of a second primary cancer is an important prognostic factor in cancer patients. The early detection of a second primary cancer and the appropriate treatment are essential for reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with these tumors. Integrated $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT, which can provide both the metabolic and anatomic information of a cancer, has been shown to have a better accuracy in oncology than either CT or conventional PET. The whole body coverage and high sensitivity of $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT along with its ability to provide both metabolic and anatomic information of a cancer make it suitable for evaluating a second primary cancer in oncology. Whole body $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT is useful for screening second primary cancers with a high sensitivity and good positive predictive value. In order to rule out the presence of a second primary cancer or an unexpected metastasis, further diagnostic work-up is essential when abnormal findings indicative of a second primary cancer are found on the PET/CT images. PET/CT is better in detecting a second primary tumor than conventional PET.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.271-274
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• 2006

We report the case of a 64-year-old man with superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome due to tumor thrombus from recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). He presented with new onset of facial swelling for 10 days. HCC was detected ten years ago. He has undergone repeated transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and chemotherapy. Chest computed tomography (CT) demonstrated tumor thrombus in the SVC extending to right atrium. He underwent whole body F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose(FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning for assessing the effect of TAE in HCC. F-18 FDG PET/CT showed increased uptake in the residual liver mass indicating viable tumor. There was another intense F-18 FDG accumulation in SUV extending to right atrium to suggest tumor thrombus. This case illustrates that F-18 FDG PET/CT is useful to identification of distant metastases as well as assessment of response to therapy in long-term survival HCC patients.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.456-463
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• 2008

Purpose: We evaluated the incidence and malignant risk of focal breast lesions incidentally detected by $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT. Various PET/CT findings of the breast lesions were also analyzed to improve the differentiation between benign from malignant focal breast lesions. Materials & Methods: The subjects were 3,768 consecutive $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT exams performed in adult females without a history of breast cancer. A focal breast lesion was defined as a focal $^{18}F-FDG$ uptake or a focal nodular lesion on CT image irrespective of $^{18}F-FDG$ uptake in the breasts. The maximum SUV and CT pattern of focal breast lesions were evaluated, and were compared with final diagnosis. Results: The incidence of focal breast lesions on PET/CT in adult female subjects was 1.4% (58 lesions in 53 subjects). In finally confirmed 53 lesions of 48 subjects, 11 lesions of 8 subjects (20.8%) were proven to be malignant. When the PET/CT patterns suggesting benignancy (maximum attenuation value>75 HU or <30HU; standard deviation of mean attenuation > 20) were added as diagnostic criteria of PET/CT to differentiate benign from malignant breast lesions along with maximum SUV, the area under ROC curve of PET/CT was significantly increased compared with maximum SUV alone ($0.680{\pm}0.093$ vs. $0.786{\pm}0.076$, p<0.05). Conclusion: The malignant risk of focal breast lesions incidentally found on $^{18}F-FDG$ PET/CT is not low, deserving further diagnostic confirmation. Image interpretation considering both $^{18}F-FDG$ uptake and PET/CT pattern may be helpful to improve the differentiation from malignant and benign focal breast lesion.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.177-180
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• 2008

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. It is slowly progressive disease that affects a small area of cells in the mid brain known as the substantia nigra. Gradual degeneration of these cells causes a reduction in a vital chemical known as dopamine. In the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, it has difficulty in biopsy and limits in radiologic modalities. $^{18}F-FDG$ PET shows various findings from normal to diffuse decrement of FDG uptake. $^{18}F-FDG$ PET is expected to be a evaluation tool in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Primary brain tumor accounts for 1.4% of entire cancer. For males between the ages of 15 and 34 years, central nervous system tumors account for the leading cause of cancer death. $^{18}F-FDG$ PET has been reported that it can provide important diagnostic information relating to tumor grading and differentiation from non- tumorous condition. In addition, the degree of FDG metabolism carries prognostic significance. By mapping the metabolic pattern of heterogeneous tumors, $^{18}F-FDG$ PET can aid in targeting for stereotactic biopsy by selecting the subregions within the tumor that are most hypermetabolic and potentially have the highest grade. According to clinical research data, FOG PET is expected to be a helpful diagnostic tool in the management of brain tumors.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.52-59
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• 2008

In the management of colo-retal and anal cancer, accurate staging, treatment evaluation, early detection of recurrence are main clinical problems. F-18 FDG PET (PET/CT) has been reported as useful in the management of colo-rectal and anal cancer because that PET has high diagnostic performance comparing to conventional studies. In case of liver metastases, for confirmation of no extrahepatic metastases, in case of high risk of metastasis, for avoiding unnecessary operation, PET (PET/CT) is expected more useful. In anal cancer, PET is expected useful in lymph node staging. For the early prediction of chemotherapy or radiation therapy effect PET has been reported as useful, also. In early detection of recurrence by PET, cost-benefit advantages has been suggested, also. PET/CT is expected to have higher diagnostic performance than PET alone.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

PET allows non-invasive, quantitative and repetitive imaging of biological function in living animals. Small animal PET imaging with $[^{18}F]$FDG has been successfully applied to investigation of metabolism, receptor-ligand interactions, gene expression, adoptive cell therapy and somatic gene therapy. Experimental condition of animal handling impacts on the biodistribution of $[^{18}F]$FDG in small animal study. The small animal PET and CT images were registered using the hardware fiducial markers and small animal contour point. Tumor imaging in small animal with small animal $[^{18}F]$FDG PET should be considered fasting, warming, and isoflurane anesthesia level. Registered imaging with small animal PET and CT image could be useful for the detection of tumor. Small animal experimental condition of animal handling and registration method will be of most importance for small lesion detection of metastases tumor model.