Role of 18F-FDG in Gastric Cancer

This retrospective and prospective study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging in diagnosis of gastric cancer in correlation to other imaging modalities and clinical follow up.

This study included 50 patient pathologically proved gastric cancer. After obtaining written consent from the participants, detailed history was obtained from participants with the help of their data sheets, revision of pathology report (confirmed diagnosis of primary GC), the referral report from the treating physician and any imaging modalities patients were done, FDG PET/CT study was done using dedicated PET/CT scanner, and PET analysis was performed qualitatively and semi qualitatively, tissue biopsy was obtained from patients whenever it was possible.

Results of the current study demonstrate that FDG PET/CT was more accurate and more sensitive than CT in detection of occult distant metastases in advanced or equivocal cases, detection of metabolically active LNs that are morphologically normal on CT, helpful for recurrence detection, and informative for early metabolic response in FDG-avid tumors using standardized criteria (PERCIST),that may not be apparent using other modalities, and may have prognostic value that can change patient management.

PET/CT was more accurate than CT in Detection of Distant metastasis of gastric cancer (liver metastasis, lung metastasis, bone metastasis).

¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT is not a stand-alone staging tool for gastric cancer, but used selectively it meaningfully improves detection of distant metastasis, refines patient selection for radical treatment, and reduces futile surgery.