¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography in initially treated cases of ovarian cancer presenting with biochemical relapse in follow-up

The study aims at evaluating the diagnostic utility of ¹⁸F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) in patients of ovarian cancer presenting with biochemical recurrence after initial standard therapy for the primary disease. Retrospective evaluation of FDG PET/CT data of 39 female patients with pathologically proven adenocarcinoma ovary was done. Patients who had initial standard treatments, referred for posttreatment surveillance for detection of biochemical relapse (either one value of CA 125 >30 IU/ml or two consecutive increases in values) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Clinical-radiologic follow-up/response to chemotherapy was taken as reference standard. Follow-up was possible only in 18 patients (mean follow-up period of 45.8 months). FDG PET/CT had high diagnostic utility in patients with elevated CA 125 level, especially in asymptomatic as well as prior imaging negative patients