15-year experience of 18F-FDG PET imaging in response assessment and restaging after definitive treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of 18F-FDG PET in restaging and response assessment of patients who underwent definitive treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing 18F-FDG PET imaging for MCC between January 1997 and October 2010 at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre with follow-up until February 2015 was performed. Data analysis was performed on patients who were treated definitively and underwent post-treatment PET imaging performed either as a restaging scan for ongoing monitoring, suspicion of recurrence, or assessment for suitability of salvage treatment or as response assessment within 1-6 mo of treatment. Ma..