Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology
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Pertanika ยท Universiti Putra Malaysia Press

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology

Official journal of Universiti Putra Malaysia for scholarly work across science, engineering and related technologies.

e-ISSN 2231-8526 ISSN 0128-7680
Research article

Applications of 18(F) FDG PET/CT in Oncology

AS Fathinul Fikri, AJ Nordin, YKCheah and FN Ahmad Saad

KeywordsCasemix, PET/CT, oncology, image fusion, technology
Article content

Abstract

The escalating costs of conventional diagnostic technology in oncology have yet to obviate futile surgery intervention and the spiralling treatment cost. The evolution in engineering technology which looks at the correlation of the anatomy and the function of tumours i.e. Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) have impacted on the improved diagnostic accuracy and treatment in oncology. Clinical data have demonstrated that the information provided by PET/CT often changes patient management. This review addresses the value of PET-CT as a surrogate molecular marker in tumours and to discuss some issues in adopting PET/CT in routine daily practice as supported by the numbers of literature reviews of its application in oncology since it was first commercialised in 2001. The description of the technology used in multimodality imaging has gained encouraging interest among physicians, policy makers and insurance companies on the importance of the PET-CT, for which roles are not limited to the staging, disease prognostication and treatment monitoring with potential impact on treatment cost and justification of radiation safety for the patient. PET/CT is a useful tool in cancer investigation as evidenced by its role as a surrogate marker in underpinning the cellular reprogramming of different pathological entities.