Current status of positron emission tomography in oncology

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) has emerged as a powerful diagnostic tool in oncology patients. There is evidence of the superior utility over conventional imaging methods of the principal PET tracer 18F‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐glucose in the staging of a range of cancers and monitoring disease recurrence, as well as changing patient management to more appropriate therapy. The methods for evaluating the evidence for PET remain complex, particularly as the standard evidence‐based approach of randomized controlled trials is not generally applicable to imaging techno‐logies. PET has the potential to dramatically improve our ability to manage patients with cancer and is also making major contributions to the development of new therapies. (Intern Med J 2000; 31: 27–36)