Abstract:
These recommendations are intended to serve an important and relevant role in advising referring physicians on the appropriate use
of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and non-18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), which can
be a powerful tool in patient management in oncology, cardiology, neurology and infection/inflammation. PET is a non-invasive
molecular imaging tool that provides tomographic images and quantitative parameters of perfusion, cell viability, proliferation
and/or metabolic activity of tissues. These images result from the use of different substances of biological interest (sugars, amino
acids, metabolic precursors, hormones) labelled with positron-emitting radionuclides (PET radiopharmaceuticals). Fusion of the
aforementioned important functional information with the morphological detail provided by CT as PET/CT provides clinicians
with a sensitive and accurate one-step whole-body diagnostic and prognostic tool, which directs and changes patient management.
Hence PET/CT is currently the most widely used molecular imaging technology for a patient-tailored treatment approach. In
these recommendations we outline which oncological and non-oncological indications are appropriate for PET/CT. Once each
combination of pathology and clinical indication is defined, a recommendation is given as: 1. Recommended; 2. Recommended in
select cases; 3. May be considered; or 4. Not recommended.
