Positron emission tomography in malignancies of the liver, pancreas and biliary tract – indications and potential pitfalls

Abstract

Malignancies of the hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) system are relatively common and generally characterized by a dismal prognosis. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a functional imaging technique that has emerged as an important modality in oncological decision-making. The principal radiopharmaceutical in PET imaging is the glucose analog ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose, which is able to detect altered glucose metabolism in malignant tissue. PET is typically used in conjunction with computed tomography (CT), and previous studies have supported several uses of PET/CT in HPB malignancies, including staging, differential diagnostics and monitoring of treatment response and progress of disease. A review of PET/CT in the context of HPB malignancies will be presented, including indications and potential pitfalls.

Key Words::

• ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose
• biliary tract carcinoma
• colorectal liver metastases
• computed tomography
• magnetic resonance imaging
• pancreatic cancer
• positron emission tomography

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.