18 F-Choline-PET/CT for non-FDG-avid salivary gland cancer: a preliminary report.

This article explores the use of 18F-choline-PET/CT imaging for non-FDG-avid salivary gland cancer. Salivary gland tumors are rare and have diverse characteristics. While cross-sectional imaging with contrast-enhanced CT or MRI is the standard for initial staging, FDG-PET has also been used. However, some tumors do not show high FDG uptake, so the study aimed to assess the potential of the non-FDG tracer 18F-choline. The study included five patients with malignant salivary gland tumors and found promising results. Choline-PET was found to be somewhat superior to FDG-PET for salivary gland cancer, especially for low-grade tumors and adenoid cystic carcinoma. However, the high background uptake of choline affected the evaluation of the primary tumor. The authors concluded that more specific radiopharmaceuticals are needed for certain types of primary salivary gland carcinoma. [Extracted from the article]