Pretreatment 18F-FDG PET-CT SUVmax of a primary tumour and the presence of FDG-avid lymph nodes independently predict survival in patients with oesophageal carcinoma which may potentially be used as surrogate markers for prognostic and therapeutic purposes.

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The preliminary study aims to investigate whether variation on dose activity 18 F-FDG will influence the overall PET image quality in oncology patients. This is a retrospective analysis of 10 oncology patients who were injected with an average of 337.40 ± 38.43 MBq of 18 F-FDG for PET/CT whole body examination. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on total activity of 18 F-FDG injected: less than 333 MBq (302.96±12.65 MBq) (group 1) and more than 333 MBq (371.85±14.00 MBq) (group 2). Multiple Image Projection (MIP) PET images were scored visually by two qualified nuclear radiologists using a two-point scoring scale (poor and excellent). The agreement between radiologists was analysed using kappa measure of agreement (K). The prediction on poor-to-excellent PET image by the total activity of 18 F-FDG injected was analysed using a Chi-squared test (x 2 ). A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Agreement on PET image scoring was substantial, with a kappa value of 0.737. However, the prediction of the PET image quality by the total activity injected has been found to be insignificant (p > 0.05). Therefore, there is no strong evidence suggest that the dose injected will influence the PET image quality. Hence, it is recommended to use low-dosed of 18 F-FDG technique as it also potentially yields a comparable PET image and reduces radiation burden to the patients.

Background: Pancreatic malignancies encompass a heterogenous group of disorders, with poor prognosis at diagnosis. Traditionally, conventional computed tomography (CT) has been used for diagnosis, staging, and follow up. However, this technique lacks functional information; and is limited in diagnosis of occult pancreatic disease. Hybrid imaging in the form of positron emission tomography (PET)/CT provides a potential avenue for early detection and subsequent appropriate therapy.Case Presentation: A 60-year-old male, with a history of abdominal aortic aneurysm which was repaired, came with a complaint of 2 months history of back pain, radiating to the front. The pain was relieved on leaning forward, and aggravated by lying on his back. CT angiography of the abdomen was done, which revealed a concealed aortic aneurysm and a significant atrophy of the pancreatic tail. The serum cancer antigen (CA) 19-9 was elevated (50.0 U/mL, reference range 0.0–37.0 U/mL). At this juncture, the PET scan done revealed no discernible abnormalities. Patient was put on close follow-up in view of the rising trend of CA 19-9 levels. Three months following the initial scans, a repeat 18F-FDG (fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose) PET/CT revealed an FDG-avid lesion at the neck of the pancreas on PET without perceptible changes on the correlated CT. A Whipple's procedure ensued, with histopathological examination findings of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.Conclusion: This article discusses the role of PET/CT in the early diagnosis of inconspicuous pancreatic lesions; which could have averted immediate medical therapy.

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