The accuracy of FDG PET in recurrent Breast Cancer

Full text: The aim of the study is to evaluate the accuracy of FDG PET in the detection of recurrent breast cancer. A retrospective study was performed in 65 consecutive women referred for a (Fluorine-18 deoxyglucose) FDG Positron Emission Tomography (PET) study for evaluation of possible recurrent breast cancer.Follow-up was possible in 46 women. PET findings were confirmed with other imaging modalities, biopsies and clinical follow-up for 6-12 months. FDG PET detected 54/61 tumour sites in 30/34 patients with tumour recurrence. Based on patients, there were 30 true positive, 10 true negative, two false positive and four false negative findings.The four false negative findings were two patients with bony/marrow metastasis, one with supraclavicular nodal metastasis and one with lung and mediastinal metastasis. The two false positive findings were physiological laryngeal uptake (cervical spine) and physiological bowel uptake. The sensitivity of FDG PET was 88%, specificity 83% and accuracy of 87%. FDG PET has a significant role in the evaluation of patients with possible recurrent breast cancer. Copyright (2002) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd