Evidence-based Guideline Recommendations on the use of Positron Emission Tomography Imaging in Colorectal Cancer

The routine use of PET is not recommended for the diagnosis or staging of clinical stage I-III colorectal cancers. PET is recommended for determining management and prognosis if conventional imaging is equivocal for the presence of metastatic disease. PET is also not recommended for routine surveillance in patients with colorectal cancer treated with curative surgery at high risk for recurrence. It is recommended to determine the site of recurrence in the setting of rising CEA when conventional work-up fails to unequivocally identify metastatic disease. Finally, PET is recommended in the preoperative assessment of colorectal cancer liver metastasis before surgical resection.