Complementary imaging of ultrasound and PET/CT: A new opportunity?

Issue title: 40th Conference of the German Society for Clinical Microcirculation and Hemorheology, 5-6 November 2021, Senftenberg, Germany

Guest editors: J.-H. Küpper, A. Krüger-Genge and F. Jung

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Rennert, Janine^{a; *} | Grosse, Jirka^b | Einspieler, Ingo^a | Bäumler, Wolf^a | Stroszczynski, Christian^a | Jung, Ernst Michael^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Radiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany | [b] Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Janine Rennert, MD, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. Tel.: +49 941 944 7401; Fax: +49 941 944 7402; E-mail: [email protected]; ORCID: 0000-0002-1790-4159.

Abstract: AIM:To evaluate the effectiveness of complementary imaging of high-resolution ultrasound including CEUS with PET/CT for tissue characterization and tumor detection. MATERIAL AND METHODS:100 patients were examined with PET/CT and US/CEUS between January 2018 until February 2020. All patients underwent PET/CT followed by selective US/CEUS within 4 weeks. Comparison regarding concordant or diverging findings in PET/CT and US. Analysis of the differences concerning the lesions number of found by PET/CT and US/CEUS or the possibility of a secured diagnosis following ultrasound causing therapeutic changes. RESULTS:Diverging findings regarding the number of liver lesions in PET/CT and CEUS were found in 35 out of 64 patients (54%). Regarding renal lesions, a more definite diagnosis following ultrasound, causing a change of therapeutic approach, was achieved in 89%. Concordant results in PET/CT and US were found in 83% of patients with splenic and nodal findings. In 78% of patients with increased musculoskeletal or soft tissue tracer uptake, US was able to make a secured diagnosis with therapeutic changes. CONCLUSION:The present results indicate a strong benefit of complementary imaging of PET/CT and selective, high-resolution ultrasound especially in patients with liver, renal and musculoskeletal or soft tissue findings.

Keywords: PET/CT, ultrasound, complementary imaging

DOI: 10.3233/CH-219105

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 39-54, 2021