18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of small pancreatic cancer

Table 1 Clinicopathological profiles of the 31 patients

	mean ± SD (range) or n (%)
Age (yr)	65 ± 9 (44-82)
Gender (M:F)	22:9
Tumor location
Head	17 (55)
Body	11 (35)
Tail	3 (10)
Maximum tumor diameter (cm)	3.8 ± 2.0 (1.3-11.0)
SUV	6.5 ± 3.3 (2.5-15.8)

SUV: Standardized uptake value.

Table 2 Correlations between tumor size and sensitivity of positron emission tomography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or tumor markers

TS (cm)	n	PET (%)	CT (%)	MRI (%)	CEA (%)	CA19-9 (%)
TS1 ( ≤ 2)	5	100a	40	0	0	40
TS2 (> 2, ≤ 4)	15	93	93	89	20	73
TS3-4 (> 4)	11	100	100	100	73	91

TS: Tumor size; PET: Positron emission tomography; CT: Computed tomography; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; CEA: Carcinoembryonic antigen; CA19-9: Carbohydrate antigen 19-9.

^aP = 0.002 vs MRI or CEA, P = 0.038 vs CT or CA19-9.

Table 3 Characteristics of TS1 pancreas cancer

	Age (yr)	Gender	Size (mm)	Tumor differentiation	SUV early	SUV delayed
1	77	F	13	Poor	3.59	4.16
2	77	M	20	Well	5.53	7.10
3	82	F	20	Well	2.74	3.14
4	68	M	18	Well	2.87	3.06
5	81	M	20	Well	12.79	13.78

Poor: Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma; Well: Well differentiated adenocarcinoma; SUV: Standardized uptake value; SUV early: Value at 1 h after iv ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose; SUV delayed: Value at 2 h.