Abstract
Purpose
The intensity of physiological 18F-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake in the liver varies.
It is important to be familiar with the varying degree of FDG accumulation in the
liver that represents normal distribution and physiological changes, before attempting
to interpret whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for malignancy
detection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible factors influencing the
intensity of physiological FDG uptake in the liver on FDG PET imaging.
Materials and Methods
From 2005 to 2007, a total of 339 consecutive healthy subjects, referred from the
Department of Community Medicine and Health Examination Center of our hospital for
health screening, were retrospectively recruited for analysis. Demographic data were
collected from chart records. Whole body FDG PET imaging and serologic determination
of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection status were performed
on all subjects. The mean and maximum standard uptake values (SUVs) of the liver were
calculated. The relationships between sex, age, HBV and HCV infection status, and
SUVmax and SUVmean of the liver on FDG PET imaging were evaluated.
Results
There was no statistically significant relationship between sex, HBV and HCV infection
status and maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) or mean standard uptake value (SUVmean)
of the liver. After adjusting for covariables, age was a statistically significant
predictor of SUVmax (B=0.18; P= .001) and SUVmean (B=0.16; P= .004) of the liver on FDG PET imaging.
Conclusion
Age has a significant and positive impact on both maximum and mean standard uptake
values of the liver on FDG PET imaging. High physiological background FDG uptake will
reduce diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy for malignancy detection in the liver.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Clinical ImagingAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- 18F FDG PET-applications in oncology.Rev Med Chir Soc Med Nat Iasi. 2002; 106: 14-23
- Evaluation of various hepatic lesions with positron emission tomography.Taehan Kan Hakhoe Chi. 2002; 8: 472-480
- Pitfalls in integrated CT-PET of the thorax: implications in oncologic imaging.J Thorac Imaging. 2006; 21: 111-122
- Whole-body PET/CT: spectrum of physiological variants, artifacts and interpretative pitfalls in cancer patients.Nucl Med Commun. 2005; 26: 671-687
- Pitfalls in PET/CT interpretation.Q J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2007; 51: 235-243
- Pitfalls and artifacts in 18FDG PET and PET/CT oncologic imaging.Semin Nucl Med. 2004; 34: 122-133
- Correlation between the intensity of breast FDG uptake and menstrual cycle.Acad Radiol. 2007; 14: 940-944
- (18)F-labeled positron emission tomographic radiopharmaceuticals in oncology: an overview of radiochemistry and mechanisms of tumor localization.Semin Nucl Med. 2007; 37: 400-419
- Malignant tumor with false negative 18F-FDG PET image.Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi. 2006; 28: 713-717
- Paget disease of the humerus mimicking metastatic disease in a patient with metastatic malignant mesothelioma on whole body F-18 FDG PET/CT.Clin Nucl Med. 2008; 33: 510-512
- False positive 18F-FDG PET scan in adrenal oncocytoma.Urol Int. 2008; 80: 444-447
- Desmoplastic melanoma: true positive and false negative findings on F-18 FDG-PET/CT.Clin Nucl Med. 2008; 33: 562-564
- A weight index for the standardized uptake value in 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose-positron emission tomography.Mol Imaging Biol. 2007; 9: 91-98
- Standardized uptake values of uterine leiomyoma with 18F-FDG PET/CT: variation with age, size, degeneration, and contrast enhancement on MRI.Ann Nucl Med. 2008; 22: 505-512
- Increasing uptake time in FDG-PET: standardized uptake values in normal tissues at 1 versus 3 h.Mol Imaging Biol. 2009; 11: 118-122
- Assessment of age-related changes in abdominal organ structure and function with computed tomography and positron emission tomography.Semin Nucl Med. 2007; 37: 154-172
- Global epidemiology of hepatitis B virus.J Clin Gastroenterol. 2004; 38: S158-S168
- Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen carrier status among residents in the endemic area of chronic arsenicism in Taiwan.Anticancer Res. 1991; 11: 229-233
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: a systemic disease.Mol Aspects Med. 2008; 29 ([Epub 2007 Nov 21]): 85-95
- Transmission of hepatitis C virus in Taiwan: prevalence and risk factors based on a nationwide survey.J Med Virol. 1999; 59: 290-296
- Glucose utilization in a patient with hepatoma and hypoglycemia. Assessment by a positron emission tomography.J Clin Invest. 1992; 89: 1958-1963
- Can fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography evaluate the functional differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma.Kaku Igaku. 1991; 28: 1353-1356
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 11, 2010
Accepted:
November 4,
2009
Received:
September 20,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
