[18FDG-PET in intracranial meningiomas versus grading, proliferation index, cellular density and cytogenetic...

62 intracranial meningiomas in 60 patients were studied with 18FDG-PET prior to neurosurgery in order to evaluate the relationship between 18FDG uptake and biological aggressiveness of the tumors. Histopathological grading, cellular density, Ki-67 proliferation index and evidence of chromosomal aberrations were used to assess tumor aggressiveness. Significantly elevated 18FDG uptake was found in grade 2- and 3- compared to grade 1-meningiomas, in tumors of high cellularity compared with those of low cellularity, and in meningiomas with an elevated Ki-67 proliferation index (above 2%). The two meningiomas with the most pronounced chromosomal aberrations revealed the highest 18FDG uptake of all cytogenetically studied meningiomas. We conclude that 18FDG-PET is useful for estimating the biological aggressiveness of intracranial meningiomas.