Possible additional value of 18FDG-PET in managing pancreas intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms: preliminary results.
Baiocchi GL, Portolani N, Bertagna F, Gheza F, Pizzocaro C, Giubbini R, Giulini SM.
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Surgical Clinic, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. baioksurg@hotmail.com
Although some clinical and radiological features may predict malignancy presence in intraductal papillary mucinous pancreas neoplasms, preoperative diagnosis remains difficult. In this study we present 7 patients with Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN) studied both with 18FDG-PET and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). A focal hypermetabolism was documented in 2 patients (the standardized uptake value in the neoplastic foci was 6.7 and 9), while absence of FDG uptake in the neoplasm area was recorded in the remaining 5 cases. Mean follow-up was 27 months (range 21-34). The final judgement was benign IPMN in 5 cases and malignant IPMN in 2. PET scan always correctly predicted the presence or absence of malignancy, while MRCP failed to detect malignancy in 3/7 cases. In conclusion, this preliminary experience suggests that 18FDG-PET may prove useful for malignancy detection in IPMN, improving differential diagnosis with benign intraductal papillary growth by functional data.
PMID: 18577196 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]PMCID: PMC2441605