Role of Whole Body FDG-PET in the Detection of Recurrent Uterine Cervix Cancer / 대한산부인과학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the clinical value of whole body FDG-PET to detect recurrent cervix cancer in patients with elevated serum SCC antigen levels but negative conventional imaging techniques such as CT and MRI after primary treatment for uterine cervix cancer. METHODS: Between August 1998 and January 2004, PET scans were performed on 41 patients in whom recurrent cervix cancers were suspected because serum SCC antigen levels were reelevated after primary treatment, but there were no abnormal CT or MRI findings. Recurrence was defined by monitoring serum SCC antigen levels or imaging findings of CT/MR. A value of 1.5 ng/mL was taken as the upper limit of normal of SCC antigen level. RESULTS: Positive PET findings were noted in 27 out of 41 patients, including 10 patients with distant lesions only, 8 patients with local lesions only, one patient with both local and distant lesions, 1 patient with both local lesion and paraaortic lymph node, 4 patients with both paraaortic lymph nodes and distant lesions, and 3 patients with paraaortic lymph nodes only. In detecting recurrent cervix cancer, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of PET were 84.4%, 100%, and 87.8%, respectively. 27 of 41 patients were predicted as recurrence by PET scanning. CONCLUSION: Whole body FDG-PET scan is useful diagnostic tool to locate recurrent cervix cancer in patients with clinically suspected recurrence but negative conventional imaging techniques.