Objective To summarize the imaging features and metabolic characteristics of solid pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas (SPTP) using 18F-FDG PET/CT in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy. Methods 18F-FDG PET/CT findings and clinical data of 16 patients (3 males, 13 females, average age 38.6 years) pathologically proved SPTP from August 2010 to June 2014 in Shanghai Changhai Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The morphology, density and metabolic characteristics of the lesions were observed, and SUVmax and tumor size were measured and recorded. The difference between early SUVmax and delayed SUVmax was evaluated with paired t test in 10 patients underwent dual-time scans, and the retention index (RI) was also calculated. Results The lesions were all single with well delineated and exogenous growth. The long diameter of the tumors was about 1.2-10.4(4.0±2.7) cm, and the short diameter was 1.0-8.6(3.3±2.2) cm. Four tumors were nearly completely solid, in which 2 lesions showed high and uniform FDG accumulation, 1 inhomogeneous high metabolic lesion, and 1 with FDG uptake similar to normal pancreas. The other 12 cases demonstrated solid and cystic mixed structures which showed uneven high metabolic components in mural nodules mixed with mild metabolic and/or uptake defect. The early SUVmax of all patients was 7.3±6.8(2.4-29.1). For the 10 patients with dual-phase scans, no statistical difference was seen between the early SUVmax (6.0±3.4) and the delayed SUVmax(6.4±3.2)(t=-1.658, P>0.05); RI was 6.9%(-4.2%, 13.6%). Among the 16 patients, 5 were found to have invasion of pancreatic duct or surrounding organs of pancreas, with early SUVmax (6.7±4.1)(3.4-13.1), SUVmax of remaining 11 patients was 4.4(2.6, 7.6). Conclusions SPTP is mostly cystic-solid or solid lesions with big volumes, calcification, well-defined borders and outward swelling. On FDG PET images, there are diverse metabolic characteristics of lesions, with high uptake on the solid part, and few changes of FDG uptake on the delayed scan. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms; Tomography, emission-computed; Tomography, X-ray computed; Deoxyglucose