Colorectal Cancer - Restaging

History:
A patient, weighing 197 lbs, who had previously undergone a partial colonic resection, presented for restaging of suspected recurrent colon cancer.

Findings:
The PET•CT scan showed multiple liver metastases, which were not visualized on the corresponding CT image. The scan also revealed a small solitary metastasis in the lower thoracic vertebral body.

Discussion:
This is another great example of how PET•CT can improve the confidence level of the interpreting physician. The small areas of involvement might have been overlooked on CT alone given their size and location. By having the fused images available, the interpretation of small metastases becomes much more definitive.

Images courtesy of Cancer Imaging and Tracer Development Program, University of Tennessee, Dr. David Townsend.