FDG PET or PET/CT in patients with pancreatic cancer: when does it add to diagnostic CT or MRI?

ObjectiveAssess the impact of FDG-PET or PET/CT (PI) on pancreatic cancer management when added to CT or MRI (CDI).Materials and MethodsForty-nine patients underwent 79 PI exams. Discordant findings on PI and CDI were assessed for clinical impact.ResultsFifteen of 79 PI-CDI pairs were discordant. Ten of 79 PI favorably and 5 of 79 unfavorably altered management. PI favorably altered management more often when ordered for therapy monitoring compared to staging [risk ratio 13.00 (95% CI 1.77–95.30)] or restaging [risk ratio 18.5 (95% CI 2.50–137.22)].ConclusionPI favorably alters management more often when used for therapy monitoring compared to staging or restaging.