Onkológia 2/2016

The use of 18F-FDG PET/CT for radiotherapy planning

Positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose integrated with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) has emerged as a highly sensitive and specific method suitable for radiotherapy planning. Compared to the conventional CT, which is still the standard for radiotherapy planning 18F-FDG PET/CT brings many advantages in the determining of target volume. 18F-FDG PET/ CT leads to the increasing of target volume delineation accuracy thereby affecting the more accurate radiotherapy planning. By the integration of these two procedures their limits were decreased compared with situation when they are used separately. Changing of the target volume size, and thus the decreasing of the critical structures irradiated volume, allows the possibility of increasing the radiation dose to the tumor and a better local tumor control, consequently. The next role of combined 18F-FDG PET/CT is particularly important in staging what it can result in the change of treatment decision from curative to the palliative treatment if we find a greater extent of disease on the 18F-FDG PET/CT. 18F-FDG PET/CT has a positive effect on the delineation of target volumes and reduce interobserver variability. To confirm whether the use of 18F-FDG PET/CT in radiotherapy planning actually improves the treatment outcomes and quality of life, we need a further clinical studies.

Keywords: 18F-FDG PET/CT, radiotherapy, radiotherapy planning, target volumes, sensitivity, specificity