FDG PET (positron emission tomography) predicts osteosarcoma outcome:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Positron emission tomography (PET) may provide a powerful prognostic tool in predicting outcomes for patients with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer that often affects children. In a 29-patient German study, researchers found that use of PET with the radiopharmaceutical 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) could help identify patients who have a poorer prognosis and who may be suitable for more aggressive therapy. The researchers, led by Christiane Franzius, of the University of Munster, found that the higher the initial FDG uptake in tumour, the poorer was the prognosis. Dr Franzius' study was reported at this month's Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting in Los Angeles, California. Between 500 to 1,000 new cases of osteosarcoma are estimated to occur in the US annually.