Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scanning for the evaluation of metastases (nodal and distant) in patients with carcinoma of the cervix.
Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 13 patients with carcinoma of the cervix who had a 18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET scan as part of their workup (10 during initial workup, 3 at time of relapse). Ten patients also underwent a fine needle aspiration (FNA) under imaging guidance for verification.
Results: All 10 patients with positive sites identified by PET scan who underwent an FNA were positive for cancer. In 3 situations PET identified sites where other imaging studies were negative.
Conclusions: PET scanning is a useful imaging tool in the evaluation of patients with carcinoma of the cervix. This review supports other limited published data in this regard and suggests that further prospective studies are needed.
Copyright 2001 Academic Press.