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Updated: Aug 25, 2026
Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis: Radiological Findings from Dual Energy CT and PET/CT
Published on: January 22, 2018
FDG-PET for the pre-operative evaluation of colorectal liver metastases
T H A Arulampalam1, D L Francis, D Visvikis
1Department of Surgery, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Charles Bell House, 67-73, Riding House Street, London W1W 7EJ, UK.
Introduction:
This study assesses the accuracy of routine whole body fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the pre-operative staging of patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM).
Methods:
A prospective study of patients referred for hepatic resection was undertaken. Patients were staged by spiral CT and FDG-PET. The results of these investigations were considered independently.
Results:
Twenty-eight patients had confirmed CLM. Eleven patients had solitary CLM; 10 of whom were correctly identified by both modalities. In the remaining 17 patients, 10 had multiple CLM and seven had extrahepatic disease. FDG-PET detected all lesions (sensitivity 100%, specificity 91%). CT incorrectly diagnosed solitary CLM in five patients and failed to detect extrahepatic disease in four patients (sensitivity 47%, specificity 91%). FDG-PET resulted in altered management for 12 patients of whom seven avoided inappropriate surgery.
Conclusion:
FDG-PET is more sensitive and specific for pre-operative staging of CLM. FDG-PET confers clinical benefit through altered patient management.
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