Chilean experience with the use of F-18-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography

Abstract

Background: Clinical oncology is the main application of F-18- deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Aim: To evaluate the first 1, 000 patients studied with FDG PET in Chile. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of 1,000 patients (aged between 1 and 94 years, 550 females) studied with FDG PET, since 2003. All studies were performed in a high resolution Siemens Ecat-Exact HR (+). All reports were based on the visual anal is of three plane and three-dimensional images. Results: Ninety seven percent of exams were done for oncological indications, mainly lung lesions, lymphoma, colorectal and gastroesophageal, cancer and breast tumors, Only 1% of patients bad brain tumors. Non tumor neurological indications corresponded to 1.7%. Cardiac studies were only 0.3% and inflammatory process corresponded to 1%. The 5.6% corresponded to pediatric population, Six percent of Patients were aged less than 18 years and in 50% of them, the indication was oncological, mainly lymphomas, brain tumors, endocrine cancers and sarcomas. The remaining 50% had a neurological indications, mainly for refractory epilepsy. Conclusions: PET FDG imaging was effective in the management of diverse diseases of children and adults.