Evangelista L, Sorgato N, Torresan F, Boschin IM, Pennelli G, Saladini G, Piotto A, Rubello D, Pelizzo MR. FDG-PET/CT and parathyroid carcinoma: Review of literature and illustrative case series. World J Clin Oncol 2011; 2(10): 348-354 [PMID: 22022662 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v2.i10.348]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Laura Evangelista, MD, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV - IRCCS), Padova 35128, Italy. laura.evangelista@tin.it
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
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World J Clin Oncol. Oct 10, 2011; 2(10): 348-354 Published online Oct 10, 2011. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v2.i10.348
FDG-PET/CT and parathyroid carcinoma: Review of literature and illustrative case series
Laura Evangelista, Nadia Sorgato, Francesca Torresan, Isabella Merante Boschin, Gianmaria Pennelli, Giorgio Saladini, Andrea Piotto, Domenico Rubello, Maria Rosa Pelizzo
Laura Evangelista, Giorgio Saladini, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV - IRCCS), Padova 35128, Italy
Nadia Sorgato, Francesca Torresan, Isabella Merante Boschin, Andrea Piotto, Maria Rosa Pelizzo, Department of Surgical Pathology, Institution of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35100, Italy
Gianmaria Pennelli, Department of Medical Diagnostic Sciences and Special Therapies (Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology Section), University of Padova, Padova 35100, Italy
Domenico Rubello, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Rovigo Hospital, Rovigo 45100, Italy
Author contributions: Evangelista L, Sorgato N, Rubello D and Pelizzo MR contributed equally to this work; Evangelista L, Sorgato N, Rubello D and Pelizzo MR designing the research; Torresan F, Merante Boschin I, Pennelli G, Saladini G and Piotto A contributed to recovering the patients’ information and revised the images; Evangelista L and Rubello D analyzed the results and wrote the report.
Correspondence to: Laura Evangelista, MD, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV - IRCCS), Padova 35128, Italy. laura.evangelista@tin.it
Telephone: +39-49-8217997 Fax: +39-49-8212205
Received: August 24, 2011 Revised: September 14, 2011 Accepted: September 22, 2011 Published online: October 10, 2011
Abstract
Parathyroid cancer is an uncommon malignant cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis. The staging of parathyroid cancer represents an important issue both at initial diagnosis and after surgery and medical treatment. The role of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) as an imaging tool in parathyroid cancer is not clearly reported in the literature, although its impact in other cancers is well-defined. The aim of the following illustrative clinical cases is to highlight the impact of PET/CT in the management of different phases of parathyroid cancer. We describe five patients with parathyroid malignant lesions, who underwent FDG PET/CT at initial staging, restaging and post-surgery evaluation. In each patient we report the value of PET/CT comparing its findings with other common imaging modalities (e.g., CT, planar scintigraphy with 99mTc-sestamibi, magnetic resonance imaging) thus determining the complementary benefit of FDG PET/CT in parathyroid carcinoma. We hope to provide an insight into the potential role of PET/CT in assessing the extent of disease and response to treatment which are the general principles used to correctly evaluate disease status.
