FDG PET for monitoring response to local and locoregional therapy in HCC and liver metastases.

Abstract

With regard to SIRT, several studies, almost exclusively performed in patients suffering from liver metastases, have addressed the feasibility of using FDG PET for the assessment and quantification of metabolic response of SIRT with (90)Y-microspheres. These studies consistently show that traditional morphological imaging, computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, is insensitive in monitoring response, owing to the presence of necrosis, edema, hemorrhage and cystic changes, when compared to metabolic imaging. Thus, in view of the lack of reliability of tumor markers and/or the potential for delineating the presence of extra-hepatic metastatic cancers in these patients, when confirmed by additional studies, FDG PET may prove to be an excellent adjunct for assessing response following SIRT of liver metastases.