Oncology: Breast Articles

(18)F-FDG-PET/CT has become the reference standard in oncologic imaging against which the performance of other imaging modalities is measured. The promise of PET/MRI includes multi-parametric imaging to further improve diagnosis and phenotyping of cancer.

We have previously reported that positron emission tomography using 18F-fluoride (NaF-PET) for assessment of osseous metastatic disease was associated with substantial changes in intended management in Medicare beneficiaries participating in the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR).

Targeting tumor-expressed receptors using selective molecules for diagnostic, therapeutic or both diagnostic and therapeutic (theragnostic) purposes is a promising approach in oncological applications.

We have previously reported that PET with 18F-fluoride (NaF-PET) for assessment of osseous metastatic disease led to changes in intended management in a substantial fraction of patients with prostate or other types of cancer participating in the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR).

We prospectively evaluated the combined (18)F-NaF/(18)F-FDG PET/CT in patients with breast and prostate cancers, and compared the results to (99m)Tc MDP bone scintigraphy (BS) and whole-body MRI (WBMRI).

This article shall describe the role of (18)F-Sodium Fluoride ((18)F-NaF) PET/CT bone scanning in the staging of breast and prostate cancer. (18)F-NaF PET was initially utilised as a bone scanning agent in the 1960s and early 1970s, however its usage was restricted by the then available gamma cameras.