PET in the management of urologic malignancies

FDG-PET has a limited role in diagnosis of prostate cancer mainly because of the low uptake of FDG in the tumor and normal excretion of FDG through urine. FDG-PET has shown some promise in the assessment of lymph nodes and bone metastases. There is a large degree of variability when FDG-PET is compared with bone scintigraphy. New C11-labeled radiotracers (acetate, choline, and methionine) have shown promising initial results but further studies are required to determine their role in such settings. These radiotracers provide a unique opportunity for dynamic, multitracer, and quantitative studies, which improve the sensitivity and specificity on PET in this population. Short half-lives and of C-11, however with the limits to their use requires an on-site cyclotron. Recent synthesis schemes with [18F]-labeling, however, may overcome this limitation. FDG-PET has a significant potential to assist with the diagnosis and management of testicular cancer. PET has been most useful in defining the presence or absence of disease in patients with residual masses. PET has shown promising results for the initial diagnosis of this cancer, but further for studies ar required to determine its role in the management of this malignancy. PET can be used in conjunction with conventional imaging techniques to diagnose retroperitoneal masses in patients with primary testicular cancer. FDG-PET has shown very encouraging results in a limited number of studies, and has also demonstrated a good sensitivity for initial staging. FDG-PET seems to be superior to conventional imaging modalities for detecting local disease and recurrence, and distant metastases.