[Metabolic characterization of ovarian tumors with positron-emission tomography and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose].

PURPOSE

This study describes diagnostic accuracy of PET imaging in patients with ovarian tumours using histological diagnosis as gold standard.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Pet studies were performed in 19 patients who were scheduled to undergo exploratory surgery for a suspicious ovarian mass and in 5 patients with suspected recurrence. The PET data were analyzed visually and quantitatively and compared to the histologic findings. 6 patients had ovarian cancer, while in 13 patients a benign tumour was found including inflammatory processes in 4 cases. All malignant tumours showed an enhanced FDG uptake with the exception of one false-negative borderline carcinoma. 4 cases with inflammatory processes as well as endometrial and follicular cysts revealed a high FDG uptake. A successful localisation of a recurrent tumour was possible in 4 out of 5 cases. Disseminated peritoneal carcinomatosis in two patients could not be detected by PET.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced glucose metabolism of ovarian cancer enables PET diagnosis with a sensitivity of 83%. An intensive FDG uptake in inflammatory processes resulted in a specificity of only 54% in this study. The high sensitivity of PET for malignant tumours may be useful in the detection of recurrent ovarian cancer.