FDG-PET/CT in the diagnosis of recurrent breast cancer

BackgroundAn advantage of PET/CT has been demonstrated for diagnosis of several tumor entities. In patients with breast cancer, early diagnosis and accurate restaging of recurrence after surgery is important for selection of the most appropriate therapeutic strategy.PurposeTo evaluate the accuracy of integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), for follow-up of patients with suspected recurrent breast cancer.Material and MethodsForty-seven patients with suspected recurrent breast cancer underwent PET/CT. The PET and PET/CT images were interpreted without knowledge of the results of other diagnostic modalities, and compared with each other with reference to the final diagnosis.ResultsTwenty-five (53%) patients suffered tumor recurrence. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of PET/CT were 96%, 91%, 92%, 95%, and 94%, respectively. In comparison with PET, PET/CT had ...