Quantitative techniques in 18FDG PET scanning in oncology

The clinical applications of F-18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ((18)FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in oncology are becoming established. While simple static scanning techniques are used for the majority of routine clinical examinations, increasing use of PET in clinical trials to monitor treatment response with (18)FDG and novel tracers reflecting different pharmacodynamic end points, often necessitates a more complex and quantitative analysis of radiopharmaceutical kinetics. A wide range of PET analysis techniques exist, ranging from simple visual analysis and semiquantitative methods to full dynamic studies with kinetic analysis. These methods are discussed, focusing particularly on the available methodologies that can be utilised in clinical trials.