F-18 FDG PET/CT Imaging

Dear Colleagues,

Since its introduction in the 1970s, glucose analogue 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) has been applied in various clinical scenarios. Those include, but are not limited to, oncology, neurology, cardiology, rheumatology or infectious diseases. Several more specific radiotracers have been developed in recent years, but the broad availability of “the molecule of the 20th century” (Dr. Henry Wagner), along with its facile synthesis, renders this radiopharmaceutical as the workhorse in nuclear medicine. This particularly applies to nuclear oncology, where this radiotracer is frequently utilized, e.g., for staging, restaging or treatment monitoring in a longitudinal setting. Recent studies have also favored the use of this radiotracer for the improved risk stratification of patients being screened for theranostic procedures, e.g., for men affected with advanced metastatic prostate cancer or in aggressive neuroendocrine neoplasms. In nuclear cardiology, viability testing using this radiopharmaceutical can guide interventions, such as angioplasties, while for cardiovascular inflammations, it provides essential information on the current status quo, e.g., for suspected endocarditis or infections of left ventricular assist devices. In neurology, distinct patterns of radiotracer uptake can provide crucial information to distinguish between different subtypes of dementia. In addition, in various clinical studies, 18F-FDG serves as a comparator, thereby setting the benchmark in terms of sensitivity, specificity, or accuracy. In the present Topic, original articles, brief communications, or review articles on 18F-FDG will be provided, particularly in an oncological setting, but also for other applications in nuclear medicine.

Dr. Rudolf A. Werner
Dr. Steven P. Rowe
Dr. Lilja B. Solnes
Topic Editors