[PET in pancreatic tumor of unknown origin--luxury or value?]

18FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) was performed preoperatively in 159 patients (89 pancreatic cancers, 48 inflammatory pancreatic tumors, 22 benign tumors) with pancreatic mass of unknown origin and its diagnostic value (ROC analysis) was compared with ERCP and computed tomography. In patients with normal fasted blood glucose level (< 130 mg%) and without active inflammation (n = 126), diagnostic value of PET was equal to ERCP (0.94) and higher than CT (0.84; p < 0.02); PET showed in 88% of cases no prediction of resectability or local tumor infiltration, no influence on explorative celiotomies, in 93% no increase of preoperative hospital stay, in 4% influence on surgical strategy, in 5% metastases as additional information. Though its additional information gain for the surgeon remains limited, PET is certainly a diagnostic achievement with high diagnostic value in preselected patients.