The role of PET/CT with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in detecting the progression of colorectal cancer in asymptomatic patients with elevated level of сarcinoembryonic antigen (literature review)

Abstract

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in colorectal cancer is a highly sensitive imaging technique that detects malignant foci characterized by increased glucose metabolism. Currently, an increasing number of studies indicate the added value of PET/CT for the diagnosis and preoperative restaging of recurrent colorectal cancer. A special problem is a group of patients suffering from colorectal cancer, with negative or ambiguous results of radiology methods, but with an elevated level of сarcinoembryonic antigen. Many studies confirm the opinion that early use of PET/CT with 18F- fluorodeoxyglucose may have predictive value in the treatment of such patients.

Keywords

• colorectal cancer
• сarcinoembryonic antigen
• 18f-fluorodeoxyglucose
• positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography