Application of PET in radiation oncology
Hasegawa, M.; Uto, F.; Asakawa, I.; Kajitani, C.; Katayama, E.; Okada, H.; Hontsu, S.; Tamamoto, T.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer and ChemoTherapy 36(13): 2537-2541
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0385-0684 PMID: 20009453 Document Number: 636166
Positron emission tomography (PET), especially F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET, has been recently used to verify the target volume in radiation treatment planning (RTP) for malignancies. The utility of FDG-PET/CT in defining gross tumor volume (GTV) has been shown in many studies, and the target delineation by a fixed threshold of the maximum standardized uptake value (40-50%) is suggested to be useful in RTP for lung cancer, head and neck cancer, etc. But, the spatial resolution, sensitivity, and specificity of PET are not always enough to define the difference between the GTV and the clinical target volume(CTV). Furthermore, FDG-PET is frequently used in the clinical staging before the treatment, and is also applied to the response evaluation after the treatment. This review focuses on the developing applications of PET in radiation oncology.