Role of Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) in Assessment and Follow-up of Gastrointestinal Tract Malignancies

Abstract

Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) is a highly advanced imaging method that has several uses in oncology, such as determining the stage of cancer, evaluating the effectiveness of treatment, reevaluating the stage of cancer, and monitoring for the return of cancer over time. PET advancement has brought out a new capacity in medical diagnosis: being able to non-invasively examine the physiological condition of interior tissues. The integration of PET with simultaneous CT combines two procedures that enable the diagnosis of metabolic or receptor-specific abnormalities together with precise anatomical localization. In comparison to PET alone, the PET/CT combination is more effective in accurately identifying the location of abnormalities and distinguishing between normal and abnormal uptake of FDG along with additional tracers. PET/CT has become an essential component of management guidelines in many diseases such as lung, breast, and lymphoproliferative malignancies. The ability to image metabolic processes like glucose metabolism adds to the information provided by structural imaging, especially in the context of treatment monitoring, where metabolic changes can often precede structural changes.