18F‐FDG PET/CT use in functional assessment of the testes: A systematic review

Introduction Our study analysed previous studies employing positron emission tomography with co‐registered computer tomography (PET/CT) in andrological patient evaluation and assessed the differences in 2‐[18F]F‐fluoro‐2′‐deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake between three groups: healthy testes, benign and malignant testicular pathology. Methods Medline and Embase were systematically searched for studies involving FDG‐PET/CT imaging of testes with results expressed as mean standardised uptake value (SUVmean). A one‐way ANOVA was used to compare SUVmean between three groups. All papers assessing andrological parameters were pooled to compare fertility data. Results Seventeen studies, including three relating to fertility diagnosis, with a total of 830 patients, were included in the review. One‐way ANOVA showed a statistical difference between mean values of tracer SUVmean in healthy and malignant testes (Dif. = −2.77, 95% CI = −4.32 to 1.21, p