Cross-modality PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT imaging for pancreatic cancer

Figure 1 A 46-year-old female patient with repeated upper abdominal pain for 9 mo. A-C: PET/CT image [A: Low density lesion in the pancreatic head (depicted by plain CT scanning); B: Increased FDG uptake at the lesion (SUVmax = 2.93, depicted by PET scanning); C: Pancreatic head cancer suggested by a hypermetabolic lesion at the pancreatic head (depicted by a fusion image of PET/CT)]; D-F: PET/CECT fusion image [D: ischemic lesion at the pancreatic head in the pancreatic parenchymal phase (depicted by CECT scanning); E: Delayed enhancement at the head of the pancreas suggested by a slight high density lesion in the venous and delayed phases (depicted by CECT scanning); F: Increased FDG uptake and delayed enhancement of the lesion at the pancreatic head (depicted by a fusion image)]. As the increased FDG uptake could be induced by pancreatitis, this case was diagnosed as chronic pancreatitis via a PET/CECT fusion image, which was confirmed by postoperative pathology. PET/CT: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography; CECT: Contrast-enhanced CT; FDG: Fluorodeoxyglucose.