Clinical value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in evaluation of hepatic vein, inferior vena cava and right atrium tumor thrombi in ]~epatocellular carcinoma： Initial results

In this paper,eleven consecutive hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients with an embolus in the hepatic vein(HV),inferior vena cava(IVC)and right atrium(RA) were studied with 18F-FDG PET/CT and contrast enhanced CT.When correlated with final diagnosis,18F-FDG PET/CT and contrast enhanced CT was positive in 11 patients(100%),7 patients(63.6%),respectively.The accuracy of PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT were 100%,63.6%.Three cases with secondary blood thrombi in the distant IVC,which were confirmed by PET/CT,cannot be identified by contrast enhanced CT.The average survival was 3 months(range,1-12mo).The 12 months survival rate was 9.1%.Our results suggest that highly metabolic tumor thrombus in the HV,IVC and RA may be depicted on 18F-FDG PET/CT in HCC patients.It may discriminate between malignant and secondary benign blood thrombi.