[Imaging of cancer using positron emission tomography]

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a method making use of short half-life radioactive compounds which allow imaging and quantification of functional and metabolic data at the level of multiple organs. This method has been initially oriented towards neurological and cardiological applications but gets now a more widespread use in oncology. This recent development has been made possible thanks to methodological progresses allowing "whole body" imaging and thanks to the use of a practical tracer, the 2-[18 F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG). The uptake of this tracer is enhanced in diverse cancer tissues. Recent studies has clarified the biological processes which lead to this enhanced uptake of FDG in cancers. This new insight allows a rational and helpful usage of PET in diverse aspects of clinical oncology: diagnosis of lesion, staging, follow-up of patients and treatment evaluation.