F-FDG PET/CT can be used to detect non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

[sup.18]F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomo-graphy and computed tomography ([sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT) has limited value in well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. The value of [sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT in non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, which are often poorly differentiated, malignant, and present at an advanced stage, was also thought to be limited. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical value of [sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT in assessing non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. From January 2010 to February 2014, a comparable large cohort of patients (31 cases) with non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors from Shanghai Cancer Center underwent [sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT scans. Demographics and clinical characteristics were retrospectively collected and analyzed for all the patients. Twenty-eight of 31 (90.3%) patients with non-functioning endocrine pancreatic tumors had an elevated [sup.18]F-FDG uptake (SUVmax ≥ 2.5). In addition, [sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT visualized 38 of 42 (90.5%) distant metastatic lesions. The [sup.18]F-FDG uptake had significant association with tumor size (P = 0.012) and TNM stage (P = 0.004). The application of [sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT has changed the management of 8 cases (8/31, 25.8%). In conclusion, [sup.18]F-FDG PET/CT plays an important role in detecting and staging non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Key words: pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, [sup.18]F-FDG, PET/CT, TNM stage