Staging and Functional Characterization of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) Positron Emission Tomography

Background Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare tumors of the adrenal medulla and extra-adrenal sympathetic chromaffin tissues; their anatomical and functional imaging are critical to guiding treatment decisions. This study aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) for tumor localization and staging of PPGLs with that of conventional imaging by [123I]-metaiodobenzylguanidine single photon emission CT (123I-MIBG SPECT), CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).