Positron-emission tomography for hepatocellular carcinoma: Current status and future prospects

Figure 1 2-Deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography detected tumor recurrence after intervention therapy in a 58-year-old male patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A: Cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) image showing a large sheet of lipiodol deposition in the right lobe of live after HCC intervention therapy; B: Cross-sectional positron-emission tomography (PET-CT) fusion image showing increased ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in and around the area of lipiodol deposition (blue arrow); the size of the lesion was 5.8 × 13.3 cm; C: Cross-sectional PET image showing increased ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in the right lobe of the liver; D: Maximum intensity projection image showing increased ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in the right lobe of the liver. ¹⁸F-FDG: 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose; CT: Computed tomography; PET: Positron-emission tomography.

Figure 2 ¹¹C-choline positron-emission tomography-computed tomography detected a tumor that was missed on conventional 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography in a 58-year-old patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A-D: 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT) showed that there was no increased ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in the liver; E-H: ¹¹C-choline (¹¹C-CHOL) PET-CT showed focal increased ¹¹C-CHOL uptake in the upper segment of the anterior lobe of the liver, and the size of the lesion was 1.2 × 1.3 cm (blue arrow in F and G). Pathological examination confirmed well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. ¹⁸F-FDG: 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose; CT: Computed tomography; PET: Positron-emission tomography; ¹¹C-CHOL: ¹¹C-choline.

Figure 3 Early dynamic 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography detected a tumor that was missed on conventional 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography in a 64-year-old patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A-D: 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose positron-emission tomography-computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT) showed that there was no increased ¹⁸F-FDG uptake in the lesion on conventional ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT; E-H: Early dynamic ¹⁸F-FDG PET-CT showed focal ¹⁸F-FDG hyperperfusion in the upper segment of the anterior lobe of the liver, and the size of the lesion was 1.7 × 1.9 cm (blue arrow in F and G). ¹⁸F-FDG: 2-deoxy-2-(¹⁸F)fluoro-D-glucose; CT: Computed tomography; PET: Positron-emission tomography.