PET/CT imaging to guide cervical cancer therapy

Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/computed tomography has been utilized for many oncologic indications. It has been found to be especially useful in the management of patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix. PET imaging defines the extent of the disease at diagnosis. It aids in selecting therapy, such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or combinations thereof. For radiotherapy, the metabolically active disease can be specifically targeted with radiotherapy planning. Once therapy is complete, FDG-PET is utilized to evaluate the metabolic response to therapy. The 3-month post-therapy PET scan has been demonstrated to be highly predictive of long-term survival outcome. Surveillance after completion of therapy and evaluation of clinically suspected recurrent disease are also uses of FDG-PET in patients with cervical cancer.