Fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT Imaging in Childhood Malignancies.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the diagnosis, staging, restaging, and treatment response of childhood malignancies.

Methods: This study included 52 patients (32 boys, 20 girls) who were referred to our clinic between November 2008 and December 2018 with the diagnosis of malignancy. The patients were evaluated retrospectively. Median age of the patients was 13 years (range 2-17). F-FDG was given to the patients intravenously, and time of flight with PET/16 slice CT was performed 1 hour thereafter. The lowest dose was 2 mCi (74 MBq) and the highest dose was 10 mCi (370 MBq). Fasting blood sugars of all patients were found below 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L).

Results: F-FDG PET/CT was performed to evaluate the response to treatment in 38 of 52 children, staging in 11 patients (staging and evaluation of the response to treatment in nine of them), restaging in 2 patients, restaging, and evaluation of the response to treatment in 1 patient. F-FDG PET/CT examination was reported as normal in 13 patients (5 girls, 8 boys). The pathological F-FDG uptake was detected in 39 patients (14 girls, 25 boys), which indicated metastasis and/or recurrence of the primary disease. Total number of deaths was 30 (13 girls, 17 boys).

Conclusion: F-FDG PET/CT has a significant role for staging, restaging, treatment response, and detection of metastatic disease but it is limited for the early diagnosis of childhood cancers.