Impact of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT on staging and irradiation of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
Strahlenther Onkol 2009;
185:260-5. [PMID:
19370430 DOI:
10.1007/s00066-009-1962-3]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2008] [Accepted: 11/07/2008] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE
To investigate the impact of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) on planning of neoadjuvant radiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
From January 2003 to December 2007, a total of 36 patients with LARC underwent a retroprospective PET/CT study for radiotherapy-planning purposes. Gross tumor volume (GTV), clinical target volume (CTV) and planning target volume (PTV) were defined in a retrospective analysis by a blinded reader. The hypothetical boost volume was defined primarily on CT alone, and afterwards on the fused PET/CT dataset. The CT- and PET/CT-based GTVs were quantitatively compared and percentage of overlap (OV%) was calculated and analyzed. The impact of PET/CT on radiation treatment planning and overall patient management was evaluated.
RESULTS
PET/CT-GTVs were smaller than CT-GTVs (p < 0.05). PET/CT imaging resulted in a change of overall management for three patients (8 %). In 16 of 35 patients (46 %), PET/CT resulted in a need for modification of the usual target volumes (CT-PTV) because of detection of a geographic miss.
CONCLUSION
FDG-PET/CT had significant impact on radiotherapy planning and overall treatment of patients with LARC.
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