论文部分内容阅读
Findings of positron emission tomography (PET) using F-18-fluorodeoxy glucose (FDG) and C-11-methionine (MET) in cases of intramedullary tumors of the spinal cord are presented, and usefulness of PET for them is discussed.PET has been used to evaluate malignancy of the tumors of the brain.In other regions,PET has been to detect neoplastic lesions such as metastatic lesions, and to differentiate neoplastic lesions from non-neoplastic lesions.In contrast to numerous reports using PET for the intracranial tumors, reports using PET for the primary intramedullary tumors of the spinal cord have been limited.That reason may be partly due to poor resolution of PET.However, resolution of PET has recently been more excellent, and PET-CT makes it possible to confirm the localization of the tumor of the spinal cord with vertebral column.In my study, PET-CT was performed in patients with intramedullary tumors of the spinal cord.They consisted of ependymomas, anaplastic astrocytoma, hemangioblastoma, and cavernous angioma.The maximum of standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the tumor was measured and compared with pathology.The SUVmax of FDG and that of MET in a case of anaplastic astrocytoma was high.The SUVmax of FDG and MET was relatively high in cases of epedymoma.A case of hemangioblastoma showed decreased uptake of both FDG and MET.Cases with hemorrhage within the tumor showed increased uptake of FDG.Remarkably increased uptake of both FDG and MET, seen in an anaplastic astrocytoma in our series, might be feasible to diagnose high grade or malignant tumors.More investigation of larger number of patients is required to evaluate the diagnostic value of PET with FDG and MET for intramedullary tumors of the spinal cord.