Lucas J D, O'Doherty M J, Cronin B F, Marsden P K, Lodge M A, McKee P H, Smith M A
St Thomas' Soft Tissue Tumour Unit, London, UK.
Br J Surg. 1999 Apr;86(4):550-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2168.1999.01090.x.
The differentiation of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) from benign masses is difficult owing to their clinical and radiological similarities. Accurate staging is hindered by the large number of sites at which metastases may be found. This study examined the value of whole-body [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) in patients presenting with soft tissue masses.
Thirty patients with a soft tissue mass suspected to be malignant were evaluated with FDG PET. The images were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively for uptake of FDG to determine whether benign lesions could be differentiated from malignant tumours, and for the presence of metastases.
Thirty-one masses were removed from 30 patients; 12 were benign and 19 were malignant STSs. Using qualitative assessment of the FDG PET images, all the high-grade STSs (n = 12) were correctly identified, but low-grade STS (n = 7) could not be differentiated from a benign lesion. Using a quantification assessment, there was a 95 per cent sensitivity and a 75 per cent specificity in diagnosing STS. Three patients had metastases at presentation; two were correctly identified by FDG PET.
FDG PET has a role in distinguishing high-grade STS from low-grade or benign STS and may have a role in staging malignant tumours.
软组织肉瘤（STS）与良性肿块在临床和影像学上相似，难以区分。转移灶可能出现在多个部位，这阻碍了准确分期。本研究探讨了全身[18F]2-氟-2-脱氧-D-葡萄糖正电子发射断层扫描（FDG PET）在软组织肿块患者中的价值。
对30例疑似恶性软组织肿块患者进行FDG PET评估。对图像进行定性和定量评估，以确定FDG摄取情况，从而区分良性病变与恶性肿瘤，并判断是否存在转移。
30例患者共切除31个肿块；其中12个为良性，19个为恶性STS。通过对FDG PET图像的定性评估，所有高级别STS（n = 12）均被正确识别，但低级别STS（n = 7）无法与良性病变区分。通过定量评估，诊断STS的敏感性为95%，特异性为75%。3例患者初诊时即有转移；FDG PET正确识别出2例。
FDG PET在区分高级别STS与低级别或良性STS方面具有作用，可能在恶性肿瘤分期中也有作用。
