[Application of the PET for Radiation Therapy]

Because radiotherapy is local treatment, it is very important to define target volume and critical organs based on accurate lesion area. The PET using an index such as the SUV is quantifiable noninvasively with information of the molecular biology for individual case/lesion. In particular, PET with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) has been used for the diagnosis and treatment evaluation of various tumors. The radiation therapy based on PET enables the treatment planning that reflected metabolic activity of the lesion. The PET produce an error by various factors, therefore, we must handle the PET image in consideration of this error when apply PET to radiotherapy.