C. Nanni, S. Fanti, and L. Zanoni, Eds.
New York, NY: Springer, 2014, 149 pages, $59.99
PET/CT scans are of great value to oncologists, surgeons, and other medical specialists when the metabolic and anatomic information is properly integrated and the imaging findings are put into the context of the patient’s specific medical history. These examinations, however, are among the most complex and time-consuming medical imaging studies to interpret and report. Not infrequently, abnormal findings on CT images are functionally silent and thus difficult for nuclear medicine physicians to interpret. Furthermore, in general only a low-dose CT scan is produced as part of the combined PET/CT study, and the resulting CT images may prove suboptimal for image interpretation.
The tasks of PET/CT examination begin with full interpretation of PET and CT images and integration of the findings. The PET/CT report should be treated as a consultation, with particular attention to a concise history and an impression that directly addresses the key clinical issues relevant to the patient’s subsequent management. PET/CT reports require an added depth because of the complex treatment history and number of prior imaging studies for the patient. The incidental findings depicted on either PET or CT images must be recognized and reported. The impression should answer the question that the referring physician has posed.
This small atlas with 6 chapters is designed to enable nuclear medicine practitioners who routinely interpret PET/CT scans to recognize and report the most common CT abnormalities. All the images were obtained by the 3 editors in Bologna, Italy, and are unenhanced CT images. There are no PET or fused colorful PET/CT images. The first chapter deals with normal anatomy on low-dose CT images, identifying all the relevant anatomic structures that can help in accurately describing abnormalities seen on PET images. The other chapters, on the head and neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and musculoskeletal system, present cases with common and uncommon 18F-FDG–negative anatomic abnormalities. All images are clear and can be directly compared with the CT images acquired on a standard PET/CT scanner. There are no tables, references, or index. This book will be helpful to trainees and practitioners in the fields of nuclear medicine and technology.
Footnotes
Published online Dec. 4, 2014.
- © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.