18F-FDG silicon photomultiplier PET/CT: A pilot study comparing semi-quantitative measurements with standard PET/CT

PLoS One. 2017 Jun 5;12(6):e0178936. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178936. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate if the new Discovery Molecular Insights (DMI) PET/CT scanner provides equivalent results compared to the standard of care PET/CT scanners (GE Discovery 600 or GE Discovery 690) used in our clinic and to explore any possible differences in semi-quantitative measurements.

Methods: The local Institutional Review Board approved the protocol and written informed consent was obtained from each patient. Between September and November 2016, 50 patients underwent a single 18F-FDG injection and two scans: the clinical standard PET/CT followed immediately by the DMI PET/CT scan. We measured SUVmax and SUVmean of different background organs and up to four lesions per patient from data acquired using both scanners.

Results: DMI PET/CT identified all the 107 lesions detected by standard PET/CT scanners, as well as additional 37 areas of focal increased 18F-FDG uptake. The SUVmax values for all 107 lesions ranged 1.2 to 14.6 (mean ± SD: 2.8 ± 2.8), higher on DMI PET/CT compared with standard of care PET/CT. The mean lesion:aortic arch SUVmax ratio and mean lesion:liver SUVmax ratio were 0.2-15.2 (mean ± SD: 3.2 ± 2.6) and 0.2-8.5 (mean ± SD: 1.9 ± 1.4) respectively, higher on DMI PET/CT than standard PET/CT. These differences were statistically significant (P value < 0.0001) and not correlated to the delay in acquisition of DMI PET data (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Our study shows high performance of the new DMI PET/CT scanner. This may have a significant role in diagnosing and staging disease, as well as for assessing and monitoring responses to therapies.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aorta / diagnostic imaging
  • Aorta / pathology
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / pharmacokinetics*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Optical Devices
  • Pilot Projects
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / instrumentation*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / methods
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / pharmacokinetics*
  • Sarcoidosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Sarcoidosis / pathology
  • Silicon
  • Tonsillar Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Tonsillar Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Silicon

Grants and funding

Funding for this study was provided by GE Healthcare. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. There was no additional external funding received for this study.