[Application of positron emission tomography in diagnosis of liver metastases from colorectal cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the value of positron emission tomography (PET) in diagnosing liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

Methods: Eighteen patients suspected with liver metastases after resection of colorectal cancer and three patients suspected with other diseases were diagnosed by PET and CT before operation. The result of both diagnostic approaches was compared with the result of exploratory operation.

Results: Seventeen of 18 patients were confirmed as liver metastases after resection of colorectal cancer, in whom 14 patients had other synchronous metastases outside liver metastasis including lung metastasis (n= 2), abdominal wall metastasis (n= 2 ), bone metastasis (n= 1), peritoneal cavity lymph nodes metastasis (n= 6), mediastinal lymph nodes (n= 2), virchow lymph node metastasis (n= 1). One patient with negative PET diagnosis was still alive with cancer- free after 1 year followed- up. Three patients suspected with other diseases were also diagnosed as liver metastases from colorectal cancer by PET.

Conclusion: PET has higher sensitivity in diagnosing liver metastases or other synchronous metastases after resection of colorectal cancer, which suggests that PET can guide the determination of second operative surgery for liver metastases after resection of colorectal cancer.