Preface

Clinical Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with the glucose analog 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) has already gained its place as a routine clinical imaging test in today's clinical and surgical ractice of oncology. Its inherent ability to interrogate the biologic behavior of neoplastic molecular pathways in one whole-body scan has made it a very important and in some cases indispensable, diagnostic and staging tool for cancer patients. The end result has been its significant impact in the medical management of these patients.

A Case-Based Approach to PET/CT in Oncology applies PET basic and clinical science concepts to the detailed analysis of well-illustrated cases of daily clinical practice. It shows imaging practitioners and clinical and surgical oncologists the important role that PET imaging plays in the care of cancer patients, as it influences management and outcomes.

Part I starts with the physics and instrumentation of PET imaging, followed by a chapter on PET probes that stresses the potential of FDG and other tracers which hopefully soon will be reaching the clinic. A chapter describing the role of information systems in medical imaging and PET/CT in particular introduces the reader to the foundations of the electronic media, so as to be able to recognize the possible pitfalls and to the extent possible, adjust for them to minimize misinterpretation and error. Part I concludes with a chapter describing the basic biodistribution and image patterns observed in the normal FDG-PET image.